The Dragon Masters
by Alice Harkey
Summary: With Lisanna back, Lucy is forced to go on a solo mission for the sake of her rent. However, while Lucy's on her mission she meets an unexpected friend-to-be. Now, with the help of all her friends in Fairy Tail, she'll have to overcome the greatest challenge she's ever faced. A possible relationship with Natsu AND a fight to regain her kingdom in the dragon realm? Whoa!
1. Chapter 1

**AN/: Hey all! Allie-K here! This is my new fanfic! I've been wanting to upload this for a while now but I wanted to finish my other story first. So here it is! **

**Disclaimer: DISCLAIMED!**

**Summary: Lucy felt like a replacement, to say the least. Natsu is upset that she does. But, there is so much more going on than that! When Lucy takes on a solo mission in an attempt to pay her rent, she'll learn more about herself and her partner than she thought was possible! Rated T for now for future chapters and language. **

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Lisanna was back. It wasn't like Lucy didn't like her; in fact, Lucy admired her. She was beautiful, and a kind, sweet girl. It was the fact that it seemed like she didn't exist anymore that Lucy hated. She hardly felt that the guild was doing it on purpose, but since Lisanna had returned from Edolas, they acted as if she didn't exist. And, sometimes, they completely ignored her. She figured she'd just let the excitement die down, since they _did_ believe that Lisanna had been dead. Yeah, her return was kind of a big deal, duh! But, soon the days turned into weeks, and those turned into about two months.

That was where Lucy sat now. Two months after Lisanna's return and she still seemed to be completely invisible. She sat on the barstool in the Fairy Tail guild hall.

"Hey, Mira?" she called as the white-haired transformation mage passed by her behind the counter.

"Oh, Lucy! I didn't know you were here today. I haven't noticed you in the guild lately. Have you been sick?" Mirajane asked worriedly. Lucy let out a sad sigh.

"I've come to the guild every day for the past two months, Mira."

"…Oh." Mira made an 'o' shape with her mouth. "Sorry about that, Lucy. Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Lucy sighed again, but smiled kindly.

"Sure." Mira smiled brightly.

"What'll it be?"

"Hmm… I think I'll just have a chocolate milkshake," the celestial mage replied cheerfully. Finally, someone was paying attention to her. The former S-Class mage turned from her to prepare the milkshake.

"Here you are," Mira said turning back around and placing the glass in front of her.

"Thanks, Mira," Lucy responded, lifting the glass and straw to her lips. She took a small sip.

"Hey, Mira? Do you, uh, think that I might have been… a replacement?" Lucy asked quietly.

"A replacement for what?" the take-over mage asked confused.

"For Lisanna," the blonde replied hesitantly. "I didn't want to bring it up before because, well, she's your sister and all. I didn't want you to think I didn't like her or anything," Lucy rambled on.

"Oh, dear it's fine!" she said waving a hand in the air dismissively, letting it roll off of her shoulders and thinking nothing of it. "Tell me, what's on your mind?"

"Well," Lucy sighed yet again. "It's been two months already. TWO MONTHS since Lisanna came back. I figured that everyone was just really excited to have her back. It's like I don't even exist anymore! I tried to ask Natsu if he wanted to take a job the other day—"

"And how did that go?" Lucy frowned.

"He didn't even let me finish what I was saying before he walked away. He didn't even acknowledge I was there!" Lucy rested her head on her hand, leaning her elbow on the counter for support. "Everyone has been doing that to me. And for two months now!"

Mirajane only frowned.

"I just don't know what to do," Lucy muttered. "My rent is due soon and I don't have the money to pay it!" Lucy whined. She let her arms drop and placed her head on the counter.

"If you're that worried about it, you could try some solo missions," Mira suggested. "It wouldn't be a permanent thing, of course, but since we all know how dense Natsu can be, it would be easier."

"Yeah, I suppose. But it'll just feel kind of weird without the rest of our team there. Besides, I'll need to find a job that will pay enough to cover my rent!"

Mira beamed.

"That shouldn't be too hard. We've gotten some really good job requests this week!"

"Well, I guess I'll be doing a solo mission today," the celestial mage said laughing slightly.

"Great! Just let me know when you've found one you like and I'll let the master know," the white-haired beauty said, still beaming brightly with a huge smile stretched across her face.

Lucy smiled back and hopped off of her seat, making her way to the request board. There were always so many requests. It was Fairy Tail after, but it seemed like the number of requests had been increasing more and more. There were a few that really caught her eye; all of them but one being a reasonable candidate. Yet, it was that one that Lucy simply wouldn't put down. It was a simple enough request if you took away the note from the client. It requested to go into Symphonia Forest, which is at the foot of Mt. Hakobe, to gather some herbs. It paid 300,000J. The thing that made it dangerous was that the client had noted that there have been reports of a dragon-like creature wandering the forest.

"Hmm."Lucy grabbed the request looking closer at it. "I wonder why Natsu didn't take this one," she thought out loud. She would have thought that Natsu would've swiped the request at first glance, what with looking for Igneel and all.

She knew it wouldn't be smart to take the mission on by herself, but something in her head was just screaming: "Take the freaking mission!" and she had no idea why. It wasn't like she was the one who was searching for a dragon. That was Natsu. But even so, it was like the paper was softly calling out her name.

"Mira!" Lucy said waving the paper in her hand as she made her way back to the bar.

"Oh, have you found a mission you like?"

"Yep! I want to go on this one!" Lucy waved the sheet of parchment in front of the former S-Class mage.

"This one?" Mira shouted in disbelief. Lucy nodded. "B-but why? Lucy this could be dangerous!"

"Yeah, I know, but I just can't help it. I absolutely have to do this one!" the blonde explained excitedly.

"I'd feel so much better if you'd try and talk Natsu into going with you for the job, you know?" Mira said. Of course she was worried that Lucy would get hurt, but wasn't she the one who suggested a solo mission in the first place? Lucy's smile fell away and she frowned as she spotted Natsu eagerly chatting away with Lisanna and Happy. The bartender sighed. "Alright Lucy, you can go on this one. But, please, be careful Lucy!"

"I will! I swear I will, Mirajane!" Lucy shouted with gratitude. Her face lit up again. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Hai, hai! Just go," Mira giggled and then Lucy was sprinting out of the guild. Mira loved Lucy like a sister. She was so ashamed that she'd been ignoring her. She hadn't even realized that she was. But Lucy stayed calm about it and didn't seem to want to bother anyone about it. _'That Lucy is so sweet. Bless her heart.' _ Mira thought. She was an observant one, that Mira. Of course, she saw right through the act. Lucy was really upset about the whole thing, and seemed especially upset about Natsu ignoring her.

Of course, Mira being the devious matchmaker that she was, immediately assumed that it was because Lucy was jealous, seeing Natsu with Lisanna. But then again, Natsu was the one who brought her to Fairy Tail. He was the one to thank for giving her the life she had. Maybe Lucy was simply trying to repay him for that. Mira's face twisted into an expression of disgust. Natsu, that idiot was so dense sometimes that it sickened her.

"Natsu!" Mira shouted. Natsu skipped over to the bar where Mira stood.

"What's up, Mira?" he asked casually.

"What's up? What's UP?" Natsu could almost see the smoke pouring from her nose and ears. "We've been ignoring Lucy for two months! She's been trying not to let it show, but she's really upset about it! Not that we would've noticed! She asked me if I thought that she was just a replacement for Lisanna, and you have the nerve to ask 'What's up'?"

Happy flew up and landed on Natsu's head. The little, blue cat looked down at the Fire Dragon Slayer nervously.

"Natsu," Happy muttered.

"She thinks we thought of her as a replacement for Lisanna?" Natsu clenched his fists at his side. "She thinks… that we don't care about her?" he shouted.

"Natsu, she has to pay her rent soon. She tried asking you if you wanted to do a job. Would you like to hear what she told me?" Mira asked angrily. She folded her arms across her chest. When the pink-haired mage didn't say anything, Mirajane continued. "She said that she didn't even get to finish talking before you just walked away!"

"Wh- what? I don't remember that!" Natsu shouted defensively. Mira gritted her teeth in annoyance.

"Natsu, you are so dense!" she shouted and bonked Natsu on the head. Happy jumped off just in time. It was rare for Mira to get so violent nowadays.

"Alright, alright! I'll go apologize!" Natsu looked around the guild in search of the blonde, celestial mage, but didn't see her anywhere. "Say, where is Lucy?" he asked turning back to Mira.

"She took a solo mission," she stated simply. Her face got serious and concerned. "It was one that I would expect you to be excited to go on."

"Eh? Really? What was it?"

"It was a request for gathering herbs in the Symphonia Forest."

"Boooring!" Natsu exclaimed, pretending to yawn.

"The client put a warning note stating that reports of a dragon-like creature had been roaming in that forest had been made," Mira said sighing.

"Igneel!" Natsu shouted looking at Happy then back at Mira.

"Natsu, why do you think Lucy would want to go on a mission like that?" Happy asked quietly.

"Well, the reward was 300,000J, but that worries me even more." She frowned. "Natsu, she said that she absolutely _had _to go on _that_ mission. I'm almost worried that you've rubbed off on her," Mira said trying to smile. Natsu frowned.

"Great! Now I feel like crap for ignoring her."

"You should, Natsu! She probably feels abandoned!" Mira shouted.

It was silent for a moment aside from the usual chatter of the rest of the guild. Oddly enough, the conversation between the two mages had stayed between them. It didn't seem to draw the attention of the rest of the guild. If others did notice, they were smart enough to stay out of it.

"Natsu," Mira began suddenly. "I want you to go with her."

"B-but, didn't she take the job by herself? If I show up she might kick me in the face!"

"Mean Lucy is scary," Happy cried, helping to prove Natsu's point.

"You've been ignoring her for two months. I think you deserve more than just a kick to the face," Mira snickered. "Even so, I'm still worried about her."

"You know, it wasn't just me ignoring her. Everyone else was too," Natsu muttered. Mira sighed, yet again.

"Yes, but it was _you_ not paying attention to her that bothered her the most."

Natsu blushed slightly. 'It was only me?' he thought. He felt terrible, to be honest. He would never admit though, that he felt somewhat proud that it was him and only him that affected her like that. He didn't really know why, but he didn't want to go through the trouble of trying to figure it out either. Nobody knew, but when Natsu thought about things, he sometimes over-thought about them. He would sink into his mind and often had a hard time finding his way out. He was smart. He didn't want to brag, but he knew he had some intelligence. But how deep into thought he could get scared him sometimes, so he usually tried not to think about much for too long.

Natsu sighed. Everyone was doing a lot of sighing that day.

"Fine, I'll go help her," Natsu finally said.

"I'll go too!" Happy shouted excitedly.

"Right then, let's go!"

"Aye, sir!"

The two ran for the doors, only to be abruptly stopped by the hand of the Iron Dragon Slayer, Gajeel, while behind him stood the little blue-haired script mage, Levy McGarden.

"Ne, Natsu. You got a minute?" Levy asked. Gajeel yanked them over to a table and sat them down next to a book that Levy had been staring at intently for the past hour. "This is kind of important."

"Ookaay…" Natsu said hesitantly, throwing a nervous look at Levy then Gajeel, then back to Levy.

"Do you know what a Dragon Master is?" Levy asked curiously.

"D-Dragon Master! Wh-where on Earthland did you hear that term!" Natsu shouted in shock and surprise. The art of the Dragon Master was a Lost Magic, unseen for almost a century! It was the strongest form of Dragon Magic, where the mage was, as titled, a dragon master. Igneel had told him of such power, but also that there probably wouldn't be a human alive that knew of the art of the Dragon Master.

"In here," Levy answered, pointing at the page of what looked like a type of history book. Natsu scanned over the page, but it was like his heart froze in place as he read the name Heartfilia off of the page.

"Lucy," he breathed out subconsciously.

'Lucy… her family has something to do with the Dragon Masters?' Natsu thought. "I-impossible!" he breathed again quietly.

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**END NOTE: So how was it? I tried to make sure the grammar and all that was good because I've read some Fairy Tail fanfics that the grammar is just all wrong and it makes me want to tear my hair out. oh well though. who am i to judge others? Haha Review please and I'll continue the story. I wasn't quite sure if i wanted to put this one up or not so if you guys really like it i'll continue it! BYE!**

**~Allie-K**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN/: Hey! I know I should wait to post this chapter, but I just can't wait! I uploaded this story just this morning, and already I've gotten so much positive feedback! I've been told this story looks promising, so I hope I can meet your guys' expectations. I think I'm starting at a good pace... what do you guys think? Oh! Thank you sooo much to everyone who reviewed so far! You have no idea how happy I am because of those little things! Without Further ado, here is chapter 2!**

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Last time on The Dragon Masters:

'_Lucy… her family has something to do with the Dragon Masters?' Natsu thought. "I-impossible!" he breathed again quietly._

Lucy had already made it halfway to the foot of Mt. Hakobe. She didn't want to waste any time getting to the forest and getting that job done. She needed the money! Truth be told, she was a bit nervous; scared even. It would be difficult if she happened to run into a Dragon, or something. There was also no one there to cover her back, which made the whole thing a lot scarier. But she couldn't turn back. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't. It was as if something was pulling her forward. Latching onto her soul, and pulling her forward.

**~Meanwhile Back At The Guild~**

"What made you look this up, Levy?" Natsu asked with a serious expression.

"Well, there was a job request over on the board that had a funny aura to it. It was like it was pushing everyone away. So, I checked it out," the small, blue-haired mage explained.

"What, the job?" Natsu asked.

"No, you idiot! The reason why it had a funny aura!" Levy replied annoyed. She blew out an exasperated breath. "Look, I checked it out and it turns out a spell had been placed on it. It seems to be a form of ancient Dragon Magic; a summoning spell of some sort."

"That doesn't sound like any Dragon Slayer magic I've ever heard of," Natsu said, furrowing his brow. Gajeel nodded silently in agreement.

"Exactly! That's why I tried seeing if there were any other types of Dragon Magic. What I found was this stuff about Dragon Masters," Levy said, pointing toward the book again. "All of this is the history of the Dragon Masters, it seems. It explains some of the magic they have, and I found something fascinating! The summoning magic isn't possessed by the Dragon Master, but the Dragon of the Master. The magic focuses on attracting a specific person, and pushes away everyone else!" Levy was on a bookworm rampage again. It seemed that Gajeel could care less, but Natsu was both excited and scared out of his mind.

"That job, it didn't happen to be the one in Symphonia Forest, did it?" Natsu questioned anxiously. He made the connection fairly easily. Dragons summoning people, and a job where a dragon had supposedly been spotted; there was definitely a connection there. The fact that Lucy had explained to Mira that she absolutely _had _to have that job in particular, also contributed to the connection. But what didn't make sense to Natsu was why it was Lucy being summoned. His thoughts flashed back to the name Heartfilia. It was written on the page of a history book about Dragon Masters! 'What is the connection between Lucy's family and Dragon Masters?' Natsu thought. The voice in his head screamed out furiously.

Levy nodded and took note of the expression on the Fire Dragon Slayer's face. He seemed unbelievable worried.

"What's wrong, Natsu?" the petit script mage asked.

"Lucy took that job!" he shouted and grabbed the book from the table. "I'm borrowing this!" he shouted back as he ran to the doors of the guild.

"Just don't burn it, you pyro!" Levy screamed.

'This could be bad! This could be very bad!' Natsu thought as he rushed from the guild, Happy following closely behind him. He somehow managed to get a carriage to take him to the forest, and he found it record time.

"Natsu, do you think Lucy will be mad at me too?" Happy asked innocently. Natsu slumped further into the seat of the carriage, holding the history book open in front of him.

"I'm not sure, Happy," he replied monotonously. His attention was placed more on the page in front of him than on his little, blue friend. His attention was actually focused on the book so much that he didn't even have enough remaining attention to register the movement of the carriage, which in turn, eliminated his motion sickness.

Natsu's eyes scanned over the pages of the book and his mind soaked up every word each page held. He began to feel a bit like Levy when he found himself whispering things like, 'wow' and 'amazing' as he read the words. He truly was fascinated with the book, though. The history was something he'd wondered about when he was a child. Igneel had explained that it was fascinating and indescribable, and boy had he spoke the truth.

Natsu kept his eyes glued to the page. It read:

"_Dragon Masters are masters of dragons. Each Dragon Master has his/her own dragon to command and serve. The relationship between the dragon and its master must be balanced, and each side must respect one another. _

_Dragon Masters were appointed by the dragons themselves. At first, this practice gave way to the creation of Dragon Slayers. The dragons chose a pupil and taught them the Dragon Magic of their own element and then would choose another pupil if they thought it was necessary, which was hardly ever the case. Originally, each pupil was known as a Dragon Slayer, and was chosen by a dragon under order of the law. Under the belief that no one party should have more power than another, the Elder Dragons stated that at least one human child had to be trained to use Dragon Magic of one element, and that there was to be one child appointed to each element. The children were to be known as Dragon Slayers, and were responsible of taking care of troublesome dragons, or slaying them, creating the term: Dragon Slayer. _

_However, some dragons believed that if each party worked together, formed friendships and built trust, the system used for punishing irresponsible dragons would be more effective. To a certain degree, the Dragon Elders agreed, but they had many trust issues with humans, and therefore decided to grant the privilege of forming alliances to only a single family. This family was a very trusted ally with the dragons, and was blessed with power and wealth. This family was the Heartfilia family, a very well known family amongst the dragons. The Heartfilia family was responsible for the creation of the techniques used by Dragon Slayers; a spell called Dragano. They had found a way to make Dragon Magic compatible with the human body, since before the development of the Dragano spell, Dragon Magic was too powerful for the human body to handle, and often tore bodies apart. _

_Since the Heartfilia family was such a trusted ally, the Elder Dragons granted some dragons permission to form bonds with their pupils, but only if the pupil was a Heartfilia. These pupils became known as Dragon Masters, and were mages that eventually mastered the art of Dragon Magic. Dragon Masters were always stronger than Dragon Slayers, because Dragon Masters formed bonds with their dragons. The bond strengthens each party's magic because when the bond is made, both the dragon's and the human's magic combine into one. _

_Dragon Masters, though similar, are not at all the same things as Dragon Slayers. Indeed, Dragon Masters were rare. Since their magics had to bond, dragons had to find a human whose magic was capable of bonding with their own. These humans were found by using a summoning spell that locked onto a compatible magic once it made contact. The summoning spell was usually placed onto an object that lots of people made contact with often. If a person didn't have magic, the spell had no effect on them. If a person did have magic, but it wasn't compatible with the magic of the dragon who casted the spell, it would reject them and push them away. If a person did have compatible magic, but wasn't a member of the Heartfilia family, they would also be pushed away. So, obviously, if a person came along who had compatible magic, and was a member of the Heartfilia family, the spell would accept them. _

_When the summoning spell accepted a person, first it would latch onto the person's magic and pull that person toward the spell. Once that bond is made, the spell then pulls the accepted magic closer to its caster, or the dragon. After that, once the mage makes contact with the dragon, their magic bonds, the summoning spell is released, and training would begin."_

The carriage shook and seemed to jump to a halt. Natsu closed the book and hopped out onto the soft ground.

"Wow! We're here already!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Aye! That book sure made the time fly!" Happy said excitedly as he flew from the carriage.

"Yeah, who knew that Lucy's family was so important?" Natsu laughed. He tried to act as if he was perfectly fine with what he'd just read. But, truthfully, he was freaking out. His mind was asking a million questions all at the same time. It was like his mind was overloading and it was going to short circuit at any moment. It sounded like a factory inside his mind; the main sound being one thought that screamed "Lucy is a Dragon Master!" But, then again, that wasn't quite true, was it? Based on what he'd just read, it would only be the beginning for his dear friend, Lucy.

Natsu was keeping his cool. Happy, however, wasn't doing so well with that.

"Natsu, can you believe that Lucy might be a Dragon Master? This is so crazy! I wonder what kind of magic she has! What kind of dragon do you think she has? Maybe I'll ask her!" Happy said in one breath. He was twitching and shaking like Plue did all the time as he wrapped his arms around Natsu's forehead.

"Happy! Calm down! Lucy probably doesn't even know any of this yet, and we don't want to dump all of this on her. Remember, she's probably pissed at us for ignoring her!" Natsu shouted angrily. He still felt bad about ignoring Lucy, and still couldn't think of a way to make it up to her. What could he do for her that would be big enough to make up for the two months he'd forgotten to talk to her, forgotten to notice her, and forgotten to be there for her? She was his second best friend next to Happy. 'How?' he wondered. 'How did I manage to forget about _Lucy_? Of all people, why _her_?'

The two had walked aimlessly into the forest. It was aimless because Natsu had managed to get lost inside his head. He couldn't stop thinking about everything; he couldn't stop thinking about Lucy. And he couldn't figure out why. Everything was circling around Lucy that day. Lucy, Lucy, Lucy!

"Luucyy!" Happy shouted, flying off to the right. Natsu blinked and regained awareness of his surroundings. 'Thanks, Happy,' he thought. He let his eyes follow the path of the Exceed and his eyes landed on someone rather familiar; a girl with blonde hair, and a ring with Celestial keys on it hooked onto her belt.

"Lucy!" the Dragon Slayer shouted in realization.

"N-Natsu?" Lucy stuttered.

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**END NOTE: Sorry the ending of this chapter isn't so exciting... Or is it? I don't know. I want your opinion! Yosh! I sound like one of those weird guys from the commercials that talk to you LOL! Do I get the beautiful present of more reviews this time? Is my story worth the reviews that I want? Anyway, I love hearing what you think of my story. LATEZ for no-OWWW i just stubbed my friggin toe! LOL BYE!**

**~Allie-K**

**Oh yea and I'm sure you smart ones out there (not meaning smart $$s) will prolly ask about Levy and the whole book thing... just saying...**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN/: Hey guys! Here it is! The third chapter of The Dragon Masters. Oh, excuse me, here is the (apparently) long awaited third chapter of The Dragon Masters. Thank you to all of you who reviewed! You guys are amazing, really! This chapter has a lot more NaLu in it! Oh, now you're excited! I just know it! **

**Happy: "Aye!"**

**Haha we all know Happy is excited! Well, enjoy! Oh, and if I didn't reply to your review, I'm terribly sorry. It's hard to keep track of the ones that I've replied to and the ones that I haven't. And, let me hear ya shout if you watched the newest episode of Fairy Tail! I just loved episode 126! It brings back so many Rave Master memories! Man I talk a lot!**

**Natsu: "Yeah, just like that weirdo, Luigi!"**

**Lucy: "The name's Lucy!"**

**Anyway, ENJOY!**

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Last time on The Dragon Masters:

_"Luucyy!" Happy shouted, flying off to the right. Natsu blinked and regained awareness of his surroundings. 'Thanks, Happy,' he thought. He let his eyes follow the path of the Exceed and his eyes landed on someone rather familiar; a girl with blonde hair, and a ring with Celestial keys on it hooked onto her belt._

_"Lucy!" the Dragon Slayer shouted in realization._

_"N-Natsu?" Lucy stuttered._

A wide smile spread across the pink-haired Dragon Slayer's face. He took a step towards her. Lucy spun back around on her heels and began to walk away nervously.

"W-wait! Lucy, I'm sorry for ignoring you, so please don't just walk away!" Natsu pleaded. He rushed to her side.

"I wish I could stop!" Lucy replied frantically, her feet still carrying her forward. "It's weird! It's like I can't stop from moving forward, and I don't know why!"

"Oh! I know, I know!" Happy cheered. Natsu smacked him in the back of the head as soon as he caught up with them. "Ow! Natsuu?" Happy's lip quivered. "Luuccyyy! Natsu's being mean!" the little Exceed cried. He flung himself at the blonde and she caught him in a tight, soothing embrace.

"If you do know why, please tell me," Lucy said sadly. "I'm tired of being kept in the dark and being ignored."

Natsu frowned. He could hear the sadness in her voice more than Happy could, and he knew that. It hurt him so much to hear her voice sounding like that. He placed a comforting hand of the back of her shoulder. He could feel her body tense up from the contact, and a slight blush crept onto her face. She slowly relaxed.

"I think this might be something that you'll need to figure out yourself," the Dragon Slayer explained softly. He wanted to tell her. Why wouldn't he want to try and ease the pain his friend felt? But, if Lucy was a Dragon Master, there wouldn't be much that he would be able to help with. He didn't have first-hand experience with any of that stuff. All he had was that history book that he'd borrowed from Levy. Well, actually, he kind of just took it. But he had every intention of giving it back! Maybe he could let Lucy look at it, though. She did have a right to know, after all, didn't she?

"Thank you, by the way," Lucy said softly, breaking a silence that had settled over them. She hugged Happy closer to her. Her words seemed to send a wave of realization over Natsu. He still had his hand resting on her shoulder. He quickly pulled his hand away and let it drop to his side while a slight blush crept onto his face. Natsu prayed that she wouldn't see it as she shifted her head to the left to look at him. He thanked his lucky stars when she didn't seem to notice.

"What for?" Natsu asked.

"Well, for, uh…" Lucy's face flushed a bright pink as she tried to find the right words.

"…For showing up; for talking to you?" Natsu smiled. Lucy nodded weakly. "Yeah, I'm still really sorry about all that," the fire mage said rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. "Ignoring you and all that; I didn't even realize I was until Mira yelled at me for it." Natsu frowned.

"Mira? She talked to you about it?"

Happy nodded his head, rubbing it against her chest. She'd almost forgotten he was there because he'd been so quiet.

"She told me to come after you and help you out on your mission. She was worried about you… unlike me." The pink-haired teen hung his head shamefully. His arms hung loosely at his side.

"She told you to help me with this?" Lucy let out a weak chuckle. "Why am I not surprised?" she shook her head in amusement.

Natsu and happy cocked their heads to the side, obviously confused. 'Yeesh, they can be so dense,' Lucy thought.

"She practically begged me to talk you guys into coming with me. She said it would make her feel a lot better if you went with me, but you looked like you were busy talking to Lisanna." Her voice sounded so sad and every word made Natsu's heart clench with guilt, especially when she said Lisanna's name. She sounded so hurt that it was killing Natsu inside. He just wanted to wrap her up in his arms and tell her that everything was okay. Don't be sad! 'Oh, stop being so mushy!' he screamed at himself. 'Where did a thought like that even come from?' he wondered.

The two replied with a simple nod as they straightened their heads up. Happy leapt from Lucy's arms and they walked in a comfortable silence. No one said a word, leaving all of them at the mercy of their thoughts.

'I actually saw Natsu blush. I mean, _Natsu_, of all people!' the blonde thought to herself as they continued to make their way further into the forest. She knew she'd blushed a couple of times herself. There was just something about him that sent her heart into a beating frenzy sometimes. Yep, there was something about that pink-haired idiot. Maybe it was that signature grin of his, or the way he would do just about anything for his friends. 'No! What am I saying? He's my best friend! Nothing more…'

"Hey, Luce?" Natsu said breaking the silence that had turned into something almost deafening. Lucy snapped out of her daze and flashed a smile. "Do you know where we're going? We've been walking for what seems like forever."

"Oh, uh, no, actually I have no idea. I've just been letting my feet carry me, I guess."

The sun was still shining brightly through the think trees, casting a beautiful, golden glow onto the ground. It was later in the day, and they _had _been walking for a while. Lucy inhaled the refreshing scent of the trees around her and listened to the calming sounds of the forest. She sensed a presence ahead, but cared little of that. It didn't feel like something dangerous. She heard the sound of a waterfall in the distance. No doubt Natsu heard it too. She turned to her head to the left only to notice that Natsu had fallen behind slightly.

"Natsu?" she called out to him.

"There's something ahead," he replied seriously, catching up to the celestial mage once again.

"I know," Lucy sighed. "I can sense it, but it doesn't seem like it'll want to hurt us." Lucy was just as confused as she knew the other two were, but was equally as amused by the looks on their faces. She giggled softly behind a delicate hand.

The sun hit her eyes before she was aware that they'd left the cover of the trees. Lucy's feet had carried her to a beautiful clearing. On the opposite side of where she stood was a vast, grey wall of stone, most likely part of the mountain. Water poured over its edge and into a pond that was surrounded by a variation of wildflowers. Their small, delicate, white petals contrasted against the bright green grass of the clearing. Lucy gasped in amazement at the scenery. Everything was so beautiful, from the crystal-clear, blue waters of the pond that sparkled in the sunlight, to the way every little detail was naturally set in perfection.

"Wow," Lucy breathed in awe.

"Amazing," Natsu said breathlessly.

"Isn't it?" a loud, booming voice sounded. The trio jumped back in surprise at the sound of the voice. It spoke gently, but they had no idea where it was coming from. Natsu lit his hands and stood in a fighting position.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Natsu shouted angrily.

"Now, now, please don't go destroying such a beautiful place," the voice said again. Just then, an extremely large figure swooped into the clearing with a flash of silver. It was a beautiful dragon with silver scales that, when they shifted in the sunlight, sent a rippling rainbow across their surface. Its snout and forehead had a tint of light blue that elegantly shimmered in the sun's rays, and its wings were dusted with a gold color that twinkled in the light as the dragon furled its wing in to its sides.

The magnificent creature had landed on its hind legs first, and then delicately set its front legs onto the ground without making so much as a sound. Its long tail swung around to curl up around the dragon's figure, the fanlike tip of the tail gracefully landing on the ground next to its enormous foot. The tip of the tail had straight, vein-like lines of blue that outlined and enhanced its fan-like shape.

Happy and Natsu slowly took a step back. Though they were captivated by the dragon's beauty, they were almost scared of it. Lucy had slowly taken another step forward.

"Lucy," the dragon spoke softly, now honing a feminine-like quality. 'So, it's a girl,' Lucy thought before she suddenly froze. 'Wait! H-how does she know my name?' her thoughts screamed. "I've been waiting for you, my dear," the dragon said.

Natsu and Happy, almost as though it were on cue, let their jaws drop.

'No way! Th-this is the dragon that Lucy will be commanding! U-unbelievable!' Natsu screamed inwardly. Natsu did have to admit that the two did have some similar qualities, though; their beauty, being one of them. 'Wait, since when have I ever thought of Lucy as being incomparably beautiful?'

"My name is Luka," the dragon said. She lowered her head to get a closer look at the humans that stood before her. Her eyes were a beautiful ocean blue that, like the rest of her, glistened in the sunlight.

Lucy had taken a few more hesitant steps forward. Her arms were curled up into her chest.

"Don't be scared, child. I won't hurt you," Luka said reassuringly. She lowered her head further, low enough that if Lucy wanted to, she could reach out and touch the top of the beautiful dragon's nose. Lucy took a few more steps and did just that. She extended one of her arms out towards the dragon slowly, keeping the other arm pulled in tightly to her chest. Her face showed no sign of fear, only of curiosity and amazement.

It was as if time had slowed down for dramatic effect as Lucy's fingertips ever so slightly brushed against Luka's scales. She gently let the rest of her hand fall onto the dragon's nose and her other arm fell away from her chest and hung at her side.

A brilliant golden light erupted from where Lucy's hand and Luka's snout made contact, and its rays were so intense that Happy and Natsu had to shield their eyes. A strong gust of wind blew through the clearing. It was so immensely strong that even Natsu struggled to keep his footing.

"Happy, do you sense that? This wind, it's like it's just pure magic energy," Natsu shouted over the sound of the wind.

"Aye!" Happy shouted in agreement.

'Is this the bonding of their magic? Is it possible that Lucy could end up being _this_ powerful?' Natsu thought as the amount of magic power that rushed at him overwhelmed him.

Slowly, the light died away, allowing Natsu and Happy to lower their arms from in front of their eyes. The amount of magic that was in the clearing, however, showed no sign of disappearing. In fact, it seemed to be getting stronger, if anything else.

The Dragon Slayer's eyes flitted to where Lucy was standing, only to see that she now rested on the ground.

"Lucy!" Natsu shouted as he rushed to her side. He hardly believed that she was hurt, but still, a wave a relief washed over him as he scanned over her, finding her completely unscathed. A smile grew on his lips as she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him.

Lucy smiled back at her pink-haired friend as she sat up.

"Natsu," she replied in a salutary fashion.

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**END NOTE: There you have it! And if any of you are wondering where I got the name Luka... Yes... I am indeed referring to Luka Megurine, one of the Vocaloids. I just absolutely love Vocaloid! and I love Luka so much! Oh, who am I kidding! I love them all! Well I hope this chapter was to your liking. As usual, reviews are greatly appreciated, and please let me know if I've made any serious mistakes. I use Microsoft Word, but that program is really stupid sometimes. I go back to school tomorrow, so updates might get slower from here on out. I know, I'm sad too. But I won't disappoint you guys! Bye for now! **

**~Allie-K**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN/: Hey! It's me! You sick of me yet? Haha well here's the next chapter of The Dragon Masters. I really kinda dragged this chapter out so I could slow down the progress of the story. you'll kind of see what I mean once you read it. once again, as usual, please feel free to review. They keep me looking forward to writing the next chapter. You guys are my inspiration, so don't fizzle out on me! LOL Enjoy!**

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"Natsu," she replied in a salutary fashion. Natsu smiled even more at her. "Uh, Natsu, do you have any idea what just happened?" her eyes flitted up to Luka's. "Luka, do _you_ know what just happened?"

The dragon chuckled.

"Yes, indeed I do." She held an amused look on her face as she looked down at her master. Luka hadn't failed to notice the old, worn book that the Fire Dragon Slayer held in his hand. "You there," she began, directing her attention at the pink-haired teen. "Would you happen to be Natsu Dragneel, son of the Fire Dragon, Igneel?" she asked curiously. She recognized that careless and reckless behavior. Luka would know it anywhere.

"Yes! That's me! You know Igneel?" Natsu shouted surprised and serious.

"Know him? He's my best friend! Would you by any chance happen to know where he is?"

Natsu frowned.

"I've been searching for him for almost 8 years," he replied weakly. Lucy stared at them wide-eyed, unable to find her place in their current conversation. 'Hello, confused girl just sitting on the ground over here! That's fine, don't mind me!' she thought furiously.

"So it is as I suspected; even dragons as strong as Igneel can't stay in this world where dragons no longer have a representative." Luka's eyes shifted to Lucy. "We have little time, Lucy. We must start training now!"

"Training! What are you talking about!" Lucy shouted, furious and confused.

"Natsu, you have knowledge on the subject of Dragon Masters, correct?" Luka asked suddenly, her gaze snapping back to the Dragon Slayer. Natsu nodded.

"It's not much, but I read through this book a little bit." He lifted the book in his hand. "I was going to have Luce read it for herself." Luka smiled sweetly at him.

"Natsu, I know I can trust you. If Lucy can put such unwavering trust in you, then I shall do the same. If Lucy wishes to walk the path of a Dragon Master, she will need to be trained in her magical abilities. Because of this, I have a task that I hope you will carry out for me, if you wish to do so."

Natsu folded his arms across his chest casually and nodded, signaling for her to continue.

"I would like you to help Lucy learn and master her fire magic," she said simply.

"Fire magic!" Lucy squeaked, getting more and more nervous. She felt completely out of the loop; like the only person who didn't know what was going on was her. Natsu's peppy reaction didn't help that feeling at all.

"Fire magic? Oh, cool! Does that mean you're a fire dragon, like Igneel?" Natsu questioned eagerly.

"Oh, heavens no! I am an Elemental Dragon. My magic consists of every element, as does Lucy's now."

There Luka was again, talking about things that made no sense whatsoever. Lucy's nerves were only going to hold so long, and she couldn't keep quiet much longer, or she was sure it would be harmful for her health. Not like it would matter though, if Natsu would be training her to use Fire magic. She almost visibly shuddered at the thought.

"Oh, so does that mean she can control all of the elements?" Natsu asked enthusiastically. That was it. Lucy snapped as Luka nodded her head in response.

"Would someone please fill me in on what the hell you're talking about!" the blonde shouted angrily. "You're talking about me like it's no one's business, but it's _my _business! So, what the hell are you talking about!" Lucy ranted.

Happy flew at Natsu, snatching the book from his hand.

"Here you go Lucy!" Happy said proudly. His cute little voice was always extra adorable when he was proud that he'd done something helpful. The Exceed beamed brightly at the celestial mage. Natsu laughed, amused with Happy's actions, while Luka smiled gratefully at the little, blue cat.

"What's this?" Lucy took the thick, brown book from Happy's paws and examined the cover. "Dragon Masters?" she muttered to herself under her breath. She was positive she'd heard Natsu and Luka mention something about those.

She felt almost stupid. The answers to her questions were probably the most obvious things; more than likely just sitting under her nose the whole time. She hated herself for not being able to put everything together. One would think that when the topic was yourself, you would know what everyone else was talking about, yet she was completely lost! She let her fingers trace the golden letters on the cover of the book.

"Natsu told me not to tell you," Happy said. Luka chuckled softly.

"I doubt she would have believed you until now," the dragon mused. Natsu walked to Lucy's side, sitting down beside her and Happy.

"I still can't really get my head wrapped around it all," Natsu said pointing to the book. He reached over and flipped the book open to the pages that he'd read. "But, I'll admit, it's still pretty cool!"

Lucy let her eyes fall from the Dragon Slayer's face to the words on the page. He watched her silently as her eyes scanned over the page, taking in each word as he had. He could hear her gasp slightly every now and then; her lips were parted slightly, as if she were trying not to let her jaw drop to the ground, but was just barely winning the battle with her jawbone. Lucy looked almost overwhelmed by it all. And she was.

Lucy's mind tried to keep every word she read in order, instead of letting them fly all over the place. She understood what the words said, yet she couldn't believe what they meant. She read through the first parts while a very repetitive question echoed through her thoughts; 'could Ibe a Dragon Master!' She told herself that she very well could be. Then she read the last parts about the summoning spell and the bonding. It hit her like Erza when someone touches her cake. It hit her hard. _Very _hard. She was a Dragon Master.

"I'm a Dragon Master…" Her thoughts voiced themselves softly and quietly before she could stop them.

"Yes, Lucy. But, it's more than that," Luka replied. A hint of sadness coated her voice. "You see, what that book doesn't mention is that, since then, those dragons depended on the magic of a Dragon Master." Luka began to lie down on the soft grass. This was going to be a long story.

"We dragons never truly had a place on earth. Not a true one anyway. The humans were so afraid of us that, to keep peace between the two species, we created a realm of our own. As you can imagine, there were some dragons that found terrorizing the humans… well, rather entertaining. That's when Dragon Slayers came about. Because of the Dragon Slayers, dragons could come to this world. Their magic aided us dragons, somehow allowing us to stay in this world, but never for long. That was until the Dragon Masters came into existence." Luka looked toward Lucy then continued her story.

"Because of the bond made between the dragon and their master, there was a continuous flow of magic that allowed the dragon to remain in the human world indefinitely. This allowed other dragons to exist in this world as well, because dragons live off of one another. It may seem strange, but that's how it works. The other dragons would use the magic given off by dragons of Dragon Masters to allow them to stay in the human world. It only worked that way because Dragon Masters had incredible magic power. So great, in fact, that the other dragons _could_ use the magic of that dragon."

"So without a Dragon Master on Earthland, dragons can't stay here?" Natsu asked, trying to understand what the Elemental Dragon was saying. Luka nodded. "So the dragons have to remain in their own realm?" he asked again.

"It makes sense," Lucy commented, agreeing with the pink-haired Dragon Slayer. "But obviously there's something else going on." She knew there was. She could sense it. It was an aura that came off of the dragon; almost like a smell that you could smell _and_ see in a sense. It was probably because of the bond between Luka and herself. It was strange, but oddly enough, it felt natural.

"What makes you say that?" Natsu looked at Lucy confused, as did Happy.

"She's right," Luka announced.

"If that was all, then Luka would know where Igneel is," Lucy began, and looked at Luka who finished what Lucy had been saying.

"He'd be in Leafre, the Dragon Realm, but he isn't. So I believe that if Lucy trains and progresses in her magical ability as a Dragon Master, maybe some clues will be revealed as to where Igneel is."

"So, we might be able to find Igneel!" Natsu shouted. The hope in his voice was very evident, and Lucy found that almost adorable. 'What! Adorable! Since when has he ever been adorable?'

"Correct," Luka said joyously. "That is, if Lucy is willing to do so."

Natsu looked at Lucy with pleading eyes. How could she refuse that look he gave her? It made her heart melt into an ooey, gooey puddle, and she briefly wondered why. But, she had to focus her thoughts on another matter. She had to decide if she was going to let Natsu help her train *shudders* and possibly help him find Igneel. Luka was also looking for Igneel, so it would help her. There was no guarantee that it would work, but still, it was somewhere to start. Another advantage to saying yes to the offer was that she could advance in her magical ability; become stronger. She wouldn't feel so helpless when they got into those crazy, yet inevitable situations.

Natsu continued to beg as Lucy continued to think everything through. Another upside to training as a Dragon Master was that she'd be helping a friend, her best friend. Natsu had been searching for Igneel for almost 8 years and had come up short every single time. Now she was presented a chance to help him and actually get somewhere in their search. She knew that if the situation was reversed, Natsu would say yes without a moment's thought. He'd do just about anything for his friends. They were like an extension of himself.

Lucy knew she owed Natsu so much more than she'd ever really repaid him for. He'd brought her to Fairy Tail, and that was one of the best days in her entire life. It was her freedom, her life. She didn't know what she'd do without all of her friends in Fairy Tail, and it was all thanks to Natsu. Not only had he given her the best thing in her life, he'd saved her life so many times, that she lost count. Even more than that, Natsu was her best friend. Not like Levy, the one she could talk to about important things, but like… well, like Natsu. He was the one she could blow off steam with. He had no idea how grateful Lucy was that he was there for her to hit on the head on occasion. He always came back, too. He was the one that, if she ever needed to, she could run around and be completely stupid with. He never really judged her, except for when he called her weird. That wasn't wrong either, but of course Natsu was just as weird. So Lucy could run around and act like an idiot with her best friend, and he had no idea how grateful Lucy really was for that.

She would do it; she would train her Dragon Slayer magic. It would be an adventure; an adventure that Lucy was actually quite eager to have.

"I'll do it," Lucy said. Natsu's expression lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Really? You really mean it?" Natsu gasped in excitement. Lucy giggled behind a delicate hand.

"Yes, I'll do it." _For you._

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**END NOTE: OOOO sappy ending i guess! Hope you liked it! You'll let me know if you did, right? I hope this chapter was satisfactory. I've been listening to music the entire time writing this. YAY for Vocaloid Marathons! LOL Review please and I'll be sure to remember to write another chapter! haha! oh who am I kidding, I'll write another anyways! BYE for now!**

**~Allie-K**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN/: Hey! Time for chapter 5! I hope you all enjoy! Tell me, how do you think I'm doing with the whole romance thing? my mom is yelling at me to get off the computer so sorry for not explaining anything right now LOL! Read and Review please!**

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"_Yes, I'll do it." For you._

"Thank you!" Natsu flung his arms around Lucy, surrounding her in a bone-crushing hug. 'Wait, why did I do that?' He quickly released her and stared at the blonde who was staring back; her eyes wide in surprise. "I'm sorry," he said blushing slightly.

"No, no! It's okay," she reassured. He felt a wave a warmth wash through him and a sense of hope. "I know you really want to find Igneel, and you've helped me out so much that this is the least I can do. I understand how excited you must be." CRASH! There went all of Natsu's hope, plummeting to the ground. He didn't even know what he'd been hoping for! All he knew was that, that wasn't it.

"So, Luka," Lucy began, staring up at her dragon. "What kind of magic _do _I have?" she asked curiously.

"You have Elemental Magic. Like me, you can control Fire, Air, Water, Ice, and Earth."

Lucy blinked at the dragon.

"That's a lot of different magics…" Lucy stated, still in a daze from being overwhelmed. Natsu held back a chuckle. Lucy looked so cute; it would be hard for anyone to say that she didn't when she looked so innocently confused. But, she was right. That was a lot of different elements to control.

"It isn't as complicated as you think," Luka stated. "Some of the elements are connected and are treated as one magic. Like Water and Ice are practically the same thing, so those are treated as one type of magic, but in order to use ice magic you must learn to use Air magic. Possessing Air magic allows your body to cool the water down enough to the point that it freezes."

"Wow! That's so cool!" Lucy exclaimed. "But that sounds a bit complicated."

"The process takes place within you," Luka said almost sounding irritated. Lucy sweat-dropped, feeling embarrassed. 'Well, now I just feel stupid.'

"I knew that!" Lucy shouted defensively. That earned her a laugh from Natsu and Happy. She glared menacingly at them and they quickly stopped laughing; scared of what Lucy would do to them. Yep, mean Lucy was scary. Luka chuckled lightly and continued to speak.

"Earth and Fire magic are also grouped together, since fire is necessary to create new earth. You cannot know one magic without the other." Luka unfurled her wings to take off.

"Wait! Luka, where are you going?" Lucy called up to her as she began to ascend higher and higher into the air. Lucy thought the whole thing was ridiculous. It was like her whole day was being rushed. Sure, things hadn't happened _that_ fast, but it happened faster than she was comfortable with. She'd just stepped foot in a clearing in the woods and then almost immediately after that she was knocked to the ground by a wind that she couldn't explain. She was told she was a Dragon Master and then, stupidly enough, agreed to let Natsu train her. Natsu, of all people! She just learned that she had 5 different types of magic she needed to learn how to use and then her dragon just flew off! All that happened in just a few hours… it was mind-boggling.

"Catch this," Luka said looking down at her. She dropped something down to Lucy and she just barely caught it. She was still getting over the fact that she'd heard Luka's voice when she was such a far distance away. "I believe you have a job you needed to finish, correct?" Luka asked. That's right! Lucy still had to gather the herbs for the client. Though, she had no idea how. She didn't even know how to get out of the forest, let alone how to find some herbs. Maybe she'd ask Natsu to use his amazing sense of smell to find them.

"Lucy, be careful. Your new senses are more than likely going to kick in at any moment, so be ready for them. When you're ready, you can summon me using the key I just gave you. Remember, you _are _my master, but you still have to treat me with respect!" Luka shouted, her voice sounding loud and crystal clear, despite her distance from where she stood.

"Of course!" Lucy shouted back. "I wouldn't dream of disrespecting you!" her voice sounded cheerfully. Then, with blazing speed, Luka was gone. Lucy looked at the key in her hand. It was a gorgeous Diamond Key. She'd heard of them before, but had never seen one.

Diamond Keys were keys made by a living creature that gave another mage the ability to summon them at any time, kind of like a Celestial Spirit, but without the whole spirit part. The key was a manifestation of magic, like a lacrima.

"Whoa, that key looks awesome! What kind of key is that!" Happy asked, landing on the Dragon Master's head.

"It's a Diamond Key," she replied. "It's like a summoning lacrima."

"They have those?" Natsu asked excitedly.

"No, but Diamond Keys are the manifestation of magic, so in a way it's like a lacrima," Lucy explained. "And you get too excited sometimes, Natsu. I'm actually worried for my safety when it comes time to start training!"

"Lucy, you know I would never really hurt you," Natsu said frowning. He knew that if he ever really hurt Lucy, he would feel awful. He was positive the guilt would eat away at his stomach until there was nothing left. He was excited to start training, though. He wanted to teach her everything he knew, and was glad that it was him that got to train her. It meant he'd get to spend more time with his best friend.

"Okay, I'll hold you to that!" she yelled at him. He didn't mind that she yelled, even though her voice echoed loudly through his ears. Except for when she was mad, her voice always sounded so pretty, like a chiming bell. "I have to finish that job request I took. Do you have any idea where I could find these herbs?" Lucy asked handing him a slip of paper that she'd taken from her pocket. As a matter of fact, he did know where to find them. He'd only been in Symphonia Forest once, but who can forget the smell of those herbs?

Natsu nodded and stalked off out of the clearing. He knew exactly where the herbs were. He'd remember their sweet yet salty aroma anywhere. He almost made the mistake of eating one when he was younger. He and Lisanna had wandered into the forest one day and Lisanna had practically punched him in the face when he went to bite into one of the herbs that smelled so alluring. _"Those are poisonous if you don't' prepare them right!" _she'd shouted at him.

Lucy, understanding what it meant when Natsu rushed out of the clearing, followed the pink-haired Dragon Slayer.

"Happy! Put it back!" she shouted at the Exceed. Happy froze, quickly hiding the fish he'd gotten from the pond in the clearing behind his back. Lucy didn't even understand how she knew that Happy had it. She had just smelled the scent of fish coming from behind her mixed with Happy's scent. Happy frowned and let the fish slip back into the crystal blue water. "I'll get you another fish. I promise," she said smiling. Happy jumped with excitement. "Now let's go! We don't want to lose track of Natsu!"

They ran after their friend and found his leaning against a tree with his arms folded over his chest.

"Took you long enough," he laughed.

"Sorry, I had to yell at Happy to put a fish back," Lucy said smiling at the cat. Natsu shook his head at him and laughed.

"Happy, I'll get you another fish," Natsu said.

"Yay! Now I get two fishes!" Happy said triumphantly. "But, Natsu, Lucy is acting weird!"

"I am not! How am I acting weird!" Lucy shouted angrily. They could almost feel the heat from her anger radiating from her.

"She knew I had a fish, and she didn't even turn around to look at me until after she yelled at me! I was extra sneaky getting that fish too!" Happy pouted.

"Happy, Luka said that her new senses would kick in soon. Either she smelled it or she heard you take the fish," Natsu said simply. Lucy blinked at the Dragon Slayer. He was right, but how come she hadn't been able to figure that out?

"I-I smelled him," Lucy stuttered. "Natsu how is it that you're figuring all this out before I am?"

"Lucy, I'm not as stupid as you think," Natsu said irritated.

"I don't think you're stupid." Lucy frowned. Sure she called him an idiot sometimes but there was a difference between being an idiot and being stupid. Being an idiot meant you just do stupid things. Being stupid means that… well, you're just stupid. "I have never thought of you as stupid. You do stupid things, but you're not stupid."

Natsu smiled warmly at her and blushed slightly. That right there was why he'd chosen Lucy to be on their team. He knew she was nice. Lucy smiled back at him. She gave him that smile that made his heart jump out of his chest. They began to walk again and Natsu prayed that Lucy's hearing hadn't developed to the point where she could hear his heart frantically beating in his chest.

They'd found the herbs and quickly made their way out of the forest.

"So, you really trust me enough to let me train you?" Natsu asked suddenly. They were making their way back to Magnolia by foot, because Natsu had begged Lucy not to make him suffer through a carriage ride.

"Well, yeah. You're my best friend. I trust you with my life." Lucy smiled. He really didn't know how grateful she was that she had a friend like him in her life.

Natsu rubbed the nape of his neck.

"Well, the thing is, I have no idea how to train someone," Natsu said, a bit embarrassed about his lack of confidence.

"It's okay," Lucy said smiling sweetly. "I told you, I trust you."

Those words made Natsu feel amazing. He felt as if there was nothing that could ruin his mood. Lucy trusted him… with fire… Natsu… Anyone who can put up with that is one hell of a loyal friend. And that loyal friend was Lucy. Of course it was, Natsu just hope that she still would be after all of the training. Oh, gosh! He didn't know what could possibly go wrong! There were just so many possibilities! But even though he was worried about all those possibilities, he couldn't help the frantic beating of his heart whenever he thought of the time he and Lucy would be spending together.

"So when do we start?" Lucy asked curiously, dragging Natsu out of his thoughts.

"Start what?" Natsu asked. He felt lost.

"Training…" Lucy chuckled. "Were you even listening to what I was saying? You looked like you were in a daze."

Natsu hadn't heard what she said. In fact he hadn't heard anything at all. He'd been lost in thought while probably staring at her beautiful smile. He wasn't going to lie. Her smile could light up a room like the sun.

"Oh, training… Well, when do you want to start?"

"When do I get my fish?" Happy chimed in. The Dragon Master and Dragon Slayer ignored him, and continued their conversation. They'd give him his fish when they got back to the guild.

"Um, well tomorrow is okay for me. I don't' plan on taking any missions unless you are."

"So y-you want to start training t-tomorrow?" Natsu began stuttering. His heart was pounding so rapidly that he thought it was literally going to pop right out of his chest. He was excited, sure; in fact he couldn't wait, but he wanted time to think all of it through. He had absolutely no idea how he was going to train Lucy! But he didn't want to let her down.

"Okay, tomorrow it is!" Natsu announced before Lucy could get a word out of her mouth.

"Great! Now let's hurry and get home! I'm sure Mira's worried about me." Lucy picked up her pace.

"Nah, she doesn't need to worry about you, because you've got me here," Natsu said pointing at himself. Usually, it would have been 1… 2… 3… Cue tongue roll from Happy! But Happy didn't say a word.

Lucy blushed at Natsu's comment. 'Why does he have to act so cute sometimes?' she thought. 'Gah! No, we're just friends! I don't like him! Even if I did, I'm just his friend… only a friend to him.' Despite the slight sadness in her heart, she wore a bright smile as they made their way their way back to the guild.

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**END NOTE: Again, can't talk long. Mom is mad! Mom is like mean Lucy! REVIEW please! Next chapter will come to those who review! LOL JK i'll write another chapter anyways but still! **

**~Allie-K**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN/: I'm back! here is the next chapter of The Dragon Masters! this one seems to be pretty NaLu centered. I promise i'll include more action next time! So... who else watched the newest episode of Fairy Tail? I gotta say, I'm really loving the filler arc! Like, seriously! Man I wish I would've had popcorn this morning when I watched it. Sorry this is kinda late btw. I usually update faster than this. Well enjoy!**

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"We're back!" Natsu shouted as he happily burst through the guild doors with Lucy at his side. The white-haired transformation mage, who stood behind the bar drying glasses, smiled gleefully.

"I'm so glad you two are okay!" Mira smiled. "By 'okay' I mean talking to each other as well," Mira said continuing to smile. "Did she kick you in the face?" she asked amused.

"No! But she did agree to let me tr-mph!"

"I'm going to teach him some manners, is what he was going to say," Lucy said after abruptly covering Natsu's mouth with her hand. She smiled and tried to laugh it off, and then turned to her pink-haired friend. "Isn't that right Natsu?" she growled. Natsu attempted to nod with her hand still in place over his mouth.

"Uh, okay then, good luck with that Lucy," Mira said doubtingly. Mirajane sighed inwardly. Yep, they were definitely up to something. She fought back a giggle. 'Oh, those two are just too cute!'

"Come on Natsu! Why don't we start that lesson right now?" Lucy growled again, dragging Natsu to the guild doors by the wrist. The guild watched them silently as they exited the building.

"What was that all about?" Levy asked Happy, who had snuck in behind the two mages earlier.

"I'm don't think I'm supposed to talk about it, sorry." Happy flew for the guild doors only to be stopped by Gray, who was dressed in only his underwear… big surprise.

"Happy, tell us," Gray demanded.

"No way! Lucy will kill me!"

"I'll kill you!" Erza shouted from behind Happy as she grabbed the scruff on his neck. The Exceed shrieked in fear.

"A-aye!"

Lucy dragged Natsu all the way to her apartment. It wasn't until then that the silence was finally broken.

"Lucy, why didn't you want me to tell Mira that I'm training you?" Natsu asked confused. He knew he was excited… and scared and nervous. He couldn't wait for everyone else to hear, but Lucy seemed determined to keep it a secret. Was it maybe that they'd be spending so much time together that she didn't want others finding out? 'No, she wouldn't be _embarrassed_, would she?' Natsu gulped nervously.

"It's just that, well this is new to me. And I'll be embarrassed…"

'She is embarrassed of me, isn't she?' Natsu thought sadly.

"… I'll be embarrassed if I turn out to be terrible at all of this… and well, I just don't want the guild expecting something big from me if I can't meet their expectations." Lucy frowned. She wasn't embarrassed about Natsu, she was embarrassed about herself. Natsu almost felt hurt that she thought so little of herself, because she was so much better than she thought she was. He knew how determined she could get when she wanted something. She was actually a lot like himself, and this was something that Natsu was slowly realizing. He had no idea why, but he'd been paying attention to her so much more. *Mental face palm* Of course! He'd ignored her for two whole months! Why wouldn't he try and make up for it by paying more attention to her. But, he'd paid attention to her before then too. 'Why? Why was it just that two month period?'

"Lucy, don't you dare get down on yourself!" Natsu exclaimed. Lucy's face flushed red.

"I- I wasn't…" she stuttered. Actually, she was. She could care less if the guild found out and she turned out to do terribly. What she did care about was embarrassing herself in front of Natsu. Fire magic was his department, and he probably wasn't used to seeing such terrible skill. She had to do a good job with all of it if she wanted to help Natsu find Igneel. After all, all of this was for him, because she owed him so much.

"Good!" Natsu shouted happily with his signature grin plastered on his face. "Now first things first, you need to learn how to make fire with your magic," he explained, stroking the imaginary beard on his chin. He had to take every little detail into consideration. How was he going to get her magic to surface? Where would they train? What techniques should he use?

"O-okay," Lucy said nervously. She felt the magic there, burning viciously in her veins. She just needed to figure out how to release it.

"This is going to be very difficult," Natsu said sighing.

"Hey! What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Lucy shouted furiously. Oh, he better not have been talking about her, because if he was, Natsu's face would have the pleasure of meeting one of Lucy's fists.

There is was again; that heat that radiated from Lucy. Her eyes murderously glared at Natsu, and his job of training Lucy seemed to become a whole lot easier. He noticed that, now, whenever Lucy got mad she radiated warmth that was there every time she got mad. If he could get her magic to surface through her anger, maybe she could learn to channel it differently and wield it whenever she needed to.

"So, Luce, where are we going to train?" Natsu asked, interrupting her thoughts. If he was going to get Lucy mad, he wasn't going to get her mad at her own house. Natsu was more that glad to take a kick to the face for Lucy's sake, but he'd get so much more that that if anything happened to her house. He'd be a dead man!

"Well, I guess we can't really practice here," Lucy laughed. "The Landlady would throw a fit!" she exclaimed. And _she _would throw a fit if anything happened to her house.

"We can train at my house!" the Dragon Slayer shouted excitedly, grabbing the blonde's wrist and dragging her towards his house. The contact made him blush slightly, because she didn't protest his actions. 'Maybe she's just grateful that I'm helping her,' he considered.

Lucy's face flushed a slight pink at the rambunctious teen's action. As much as she wanted to tell him to let go, her lips couldn't form the words and she was left speechless with her heart beating frantically.

* * *

She let Natsu drag her all the way to his little excuse of a house. Lucy took a deep breath. 'Okay, I can do this,' she told herself.

Natsu needed to make Lucy furious now, but he didn't really know how. Most of the things that irritated her were things that involved him, and here he was. So what could he do? Fighting with Gray usually pissed her off, but Gray wasn't there. It wasn't like he could eat all of her food either, because they'd decided to keep her house out of it. Natsu tried to think a little harder. He couldn't take her food, but maybe he could take something else of hers, like her whip or her keys…. HER KEYS! That was it!

"Okay, let's get started!" Natsu shouted with fake enthusiasm. He was going to get hurt doing this, he just knew it. He quickly took the keys from Lucy's belt and jumped away from her hand as she tried to retrieve them from him. That got her mad, no, furious! Natsu could already feel the intense heat from her anger, even at the distance he had between them.

"Hey give me back my keys!" she screeched, jumping at them. Natsu backed up again, letting an off-balance Celestial mage fall flat on her face.

"Oops! Sorry!" he shouted running a further distance away with her keys.

"No you're not," she accused, pulling herself off of the ground and back on her feet. "Now, c'mon, why'd you take my keys?"

"Just 'cause," he said nonchalantly. Lucy's face turned beat red with anger.

"Really? 'Just 'cause'?" Lucy fumed, gritting her teeth. "Jerk! Give me back my keys!" she screamed, letting her fist make contact with the unsuspecting Dragon Slayer's face. She let all of heated anger flow out of her through the punch to Natsu's annoying face! Lucy was never really the type who would just haul out and punch someone, but she felt that punching the immature jerk would make her feel better.

Natsu was greeted by a flaming fist to his face. His first reaction to seeing the flames dancing around Lucy's curled fist was, 'Yes! I did it!' but he failed to realize one thing other than that. When it finally did register in his mind that, that was a _fist_ and it was heading for his _face_, well, yeah… 'Oh crap…'

The force of the impact threw Natsu back further than he would have expected. And man did that hurt! He'd called it, and yes, he did get hurt. He slowly lifted himself from the ground. Was it just him, or was the world suddenly spinning in circles? He wobbled back and forth when he got to his feet and Lucy couldn't help but giggle at the sight. She could almost literally see the little white stars circling his head as he wobbled dangerously from side to side. He tried to speak, but the only thing that came out was an unintelligible collection of gibberish.

He collapsed. It wasn't like it was meant to be a humorous sight, but it was funny. He'd been standing up straight, stars still circling his head, as he slowly began to fall forward. It was like something you would see in a comedy, and the fact that it was Natsu made it even funnier.

"Oh…" Lucy muttered as she realized that she just knocked Natsu unconscious. And wait; did she actually see flames around her hand when she punched him? Lucy was almost certain that she did. He'd only been trying to help her by… making her mad? Well, it did work, so Lucy figured she would apologize as many times as possible when he woke up.

She just felt bad about it. Natsu had helped her and she repaid him by knocking him out. She actually punched the guy she liked, in the face!

"No! No, no, no, no, no!" she told herself. He was her best friend! She wasn't allowed to fall for her best friend… was she? She thought it over. Well, she didn't have to say that she was _falling _for him. Maybe it was a little crush at most, but would a crush make her heart jump out of her chest? She didn't even know why she was thinking about all of that!

The flames around Lucy's fists had extinguished themselves, and now Lucy just sat on the ground cross-legged next to an unconscious Natsu, trying to sort out all of her feelings. Why were they suddenly surfacing now? She'd turned Natsu so that he was lying on his back. He'd probably feel a little more comfortable that way. Lucy let out a long sigh.

The topic of liking Natsu had literally come up from out of nowhere! Maybe she did like him, maybe she didn't. All she knew was that whenever he got close to her, her heart would start racing, but at the same time she felt comfortable around him. She felt content. Maybe it was okay to just like him.

Natsu's face looked rather adorable when he slept, and Lucy giggled. She delicately ran her fingers through his spiked yet surprisingly soft hair. She felt a slight blush creep onto her face. Maybe just this once, it was okay to like him.

* * *

**END NOTE: So how was it? Tell me what you thought... man my fingers are like frozen so typing is really hard! Maybe I should turn the heat on. let me know if you spot any errors, and be sure to review! the more reviews I get, the more anxious I am to write the next chapter! No really! Shout out to all of you who watched the new episode today! Well, bye for now! Until next time...**

**~Allie-K**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN/: hey hey! it's me again. just thought i'd update real quick before i leave for Kentucky for my band trip! it's gonna be so much fun! this is kinda short, but i still hope you guys like it. there's more plot this time, though this is a pretty dull chapter. remember to review! pretty please! well enjoy!**

* * *

Natsu sat up slowly and looked around in a daze. The last thing he remembered was getting punched in the face... oh yeah. That would explain a lot. He couldn't hear himself think over the pounding in his head, but he could hear an apologetic voice calling out to him.

"Natsu! I am so sorry!" Lucy muttered. Sorry? What was she saying sorry for? He was the one who should be apologizing, right? "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly. He couldn't find his voice to respond. "Natsu!" she shouted. The Dragon Slayer quickly clamped his hands over his ears. Did she really have to yell so loud? He was sitting right there, ad with a killer headache.

Lucy drew in a sharp breath and bit her lip to refrain from saying another word. How hard did she hit him!

"How long was I out?" Natsu asked quietly, his hands still covering his sensitive ears.

"About an hour," Lucy replied. "I would've left to get Wendy, but I didn't want to leave you hear by yourself," she said softly. A slight blush tinted her cheeks. She'd finally sorted out all of her feelings into the neat, organized filing cabinets in her mind. There was one specifically for Natsu now, and she felt proud that she could at least admit to herself that she liked him. "Are you okay?" she asked again softly, concern coating every word.

"I think so," he replied. Oh how badly he just wanted to curl up in a ball and go back to sleep. He really just wanted to go to Lucy's house and fall asleep there. It was always so peaceful there, so he could easily fall asleep there.

It was silent for a moment longer until Lucy finally broke the silence.

"You took my keys to make me mad, didn't you?" she asked rather casually. Natsu just stared at her. "You were helping me, weren't you? You knew that making me mad would help me with my magic." Natsu nodded, though it was just a waste of energy. Lucy knew that she was right. So _that's _why she had apologized.

"That was a lot worse than I expected it to be though," Natsu said with a breath. "I didn't think it would _knock me out_!" He let out an amused chuckle as Lucy eyed him curiously.

"You knew I was going to punch you?" Had he really thought it through that much? Lucy was amazed. If he knew he was going to get hurt, why had he continued anyway?

"Yeah, I figured that. But, it had to be done," he said smiling. Natsu felt genuinely happy that he'd been able to help her. She really didn't have to apologize. He tried to stand up, but regretted the action almost immediately. A wave of dizziness washed over him and his world spun, causing him to topple over onto Lucy who caught him just in time.

His arms wrapped tightly around the arm that had wrapped around him to keep him from falling to the ground. Lucy firmly secured him against her body to keep him from taking her down with him. Lucy didn't think much of the position he was in, there were more important things to worry about.

"You're still dizzy, aren't you?" Lucy asked. She didn't wait for a response before coming to the conclusion that he was. She needed to take him back to Fairy Tail so Wendy could help him. "C'mon, we're heading back to the guild."

Natsu nodded slowly, closing his eyes so he didn't have to watch everything spin around and around. He felt Lucy lift him up a little higher so that he could use her shoulder for more support. He clung to her shoulder as she wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him up, and kept a firm grip on the arm around her shoulder. She didn't want him letting go and plummeting toward the ground again.

Natsu felt warm and safe as he clung to Lucy's side, which was a bit ironic, since she was the cause of the excruciating pain that invaded his body. He'd expected some pain, but nowhere near as much as he felt. Maybe he had a concussion. Even if he did, his body felt unbelievably heavy as they began to slowly trudge back to Fairy Tail.

* * *

**Meanwhile at Fairy Tail:**

The little, blue Exceed shivered under Erza Scarlet's cold gaze.

"Tell!" she demanded, folding her arms across her chest.

"A-aye!" Happy stuttered. A group had gathered around the two. Surrounding to two stood Gray, Lisanna, Wendy, Juvia, Levy, Cana, Mirajane, and Gajeel. Gray was there to make sure that Happy didn't try to make a run for it. Lisanna and Wendy were just naturally curious, while Levy, Cana, and Mirajane were interested in hearing the latest Natsu and Lucy gossip. Gajeel had obediently followed Levy at her command and Juvia was stalking Gray, as usual.

"Well," Happy began. "Mira told Natsu to go help Lucy with her mission because she was worried about her, so me and Natsu went after her but Levy told us about something she found before we left. It was about the job request and she showed us this book she found about Dragon Masters."

"I better get that back, by the way!" Levy interrupted. She felt she knew what this story was going to reveal. Levy wasn't stupid; she'd made the connections herself. Lucy was most likely a Dragon Master, and Levy could tell that there would be so much more to the whole thing if that turned out to be true.

"Levy showed you the book and let you two barrow it?" the red-haired Requip mage questioned. Happy gave a quick nod.

"He read through the book while we rode to the forest. When we found Lucy, she was walking further into the forest and said she couldn't stop, so we went with her. We found a dragon! Her name is Luka and Lucy is her master! Luka told Lucy that she's an Elemental Dragon Master, so she can control Water, Fire, Earth, Air and Ice magic. Lucy agreed to train her Dragon Master magic because Luka believes that if she does, it might give them a clue as to what happened to Igneel and the other dragons."

Every stared dumbfounded at the Exceed. The story was vague when it came to detail, but it was amazing nonetheless.

"Luka asked Natsu to help Lucy train her fire magic and Lucy said he could." Mirajane let out an 'aww' and began fantasizing about all the things that could end up happening between the two young mages. Everyone else was now extremely alert.

"We can help her train!" Wendy innocently exclaimed. The group grinned at one another. The little Dragon Slayer was right! Gray could help her with her Ice magic, while Juvia could help with the Water magic, mainly to keep Gray away from Lucy. Wendy could help her with Air magic since Sky magic and Air magic were so similar.

Everyone nodded and smiled in agreement at the idea.

"Juvia will help Lucy with her Water magic," Juvia said. "Juvia believes Lucy will be very good at Water magic, since we were able to use a powerful Unison Raid at the Tower of Heaven."

The group looked at Juvia with surprise. They didn't know about any of that.

"I believe that Fire magic will also be a strong point for her," Erza commented. "She has a very upbeat and energetic personality, like Natsu, only at a lesser degree. The two get along extremely well, it would be no surprise if she also excels in Fire magic."

Others were about to comment but were stopped by the sound of the guild doors flying open.

"Wendy!" the blond mage shouted as she made her way into the guild. In her arms was a half conscious, pink-haired boy.

"Natsu! Lucy!" Wend shouted worriedly as she ran to the two. "What happened? Are you guys alright?"

"I'm fine, Wendy, but I, uh, kind of… knocked him out," Lucy said sheepishly. There was silence in the guild. They wondered if they really just heard her say that she _knocked Natsu out_.

"Please, make the room stop spinning," Natsu whimpered quietly at Lucy's side. Mira giggled.

"Wow, you really did a number on him. What did he do this time?" Mira was obviously amused by this whole thing; while on the other hand, there was a blue cat that looked rather guilty.

"He took my keys… just because," she said. "I punched him, and uh… yeah," she muttered, gesturing toward Natsu who was now being ushered to Fairy Tail's infirmary. The other guild members laughed at the situation. It was rather humorous.

"So, you're an Elemental Dragon Master, huh?" Levy asked amused. She raised an eyebrow at her best friend.

That sneaky little cat! So that's why he'd looked so guilty! Lucy glared at Happy and he shivered under her gaze. 'Erza and Lucy must be related somehow,' Happy thought.

"Hey, Lu-chan, the guild has decided we're going to help you train!" Levy exclaimed excitedly.

"Uh, okay." Lucy blinked for a moment. This was going to get really chaotic. Real chaotic, real fast. That was the way her guild was. Lucy smiled. She wouldn't want her guild to be any other way.

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**END NOTE: so how did you like it? Review and i'll get back to you as soon as possible! i won't be back until late friday night and i have to leave early tomorrow morning, so i look forward to getting back and seeing tons of reviews! until next time...**

**~Allie-K**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN/: Tada! I'm back from Kentucky! It was soo much fun and I learned something. Kentucky Derby... Yeah, it's all about the horse racing... and the funny looking hats! It's all about the hats! I wanted to buy a really big, funny, awesome hat from the Kentucky Derby Museum, but it was over $100 so now way! I got to go to Newport Aquarium too! I pet a shark! I want a pet shark now! So our schedule was all out of whack because of the parade! We started really late and even though we were supposed to step off at 6:30, we didn't end up finally marching until much later. We did march for like 5 minutes before we stopped again. I was like, "Yay, we're moving! Finally...~MARCH~... *stops* REALLY! Oh cool, we got a whole 10 feet!" LOL So this is how it went: we started from our school then headed to Cincinnati for lunch at CiCi's Pizza. Then from there, we went to Louisville Kentucky for the Kentucky Derby Museum and after that we did the parade. When we were done with that, we made our way _back_ to Cincinnati for a fast food dinner. Yes... fast food after marching in a parade wearing a full, wool uniform. Then we made our way to the hotel (also in Cincinnati). The next day, after breakfast, we made our way _back_ to Kentucky to go to Newport Aquarium. Then we went back to Cincinnati for lunch at Golden Corral. Then we finally went home! So much back and forth!**

**I was so happy when I got back and checked my e-mail! There were so many notifications about this story! I couldn't have asked for more! SOOO I decided to update as soon as possible for you guys! I hope I get as many reviews on this chapter as I did on the last one. **

**Random Statement of the Day: I am listening to Hello/How Are You! Such a good song! It's addictive!**

** Ah, well I'm rambling, so just enjoy the chapter! **

* * *

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtain in Fairy Tail's infirmary and danced through the room, across the face of a Dragon Slayer who was beginning to stir. Lucy had said that she would stay with him to make sure he was okay, since the guilt was still eating at her stomach. Mira had offered her food several times, but she refused each and every time. She didn't feel like eating, because she wasn't hungry. The space in her stomach was taken up by the pool of guilt that was persistent on staying there until she knew Natsu was okay.

She stayed sitting in a chair across from where rested on the white sheets that covered the bed underneath him. He stirred from his sleep every now and then, just to fall back into a deep, motionless slumber once again. Was that a bad thing? Lucy didn't know if he should be sleeping this long, but then again, she wasn't really sure how hard she'd hit him. More guilt washed over her and she thought that it was getting to the point that if she didn't think of something else, the guilt would drive her into insanity.

The guild… they were going to help her train. Bingo! There was her new topic to think of. That poor Exceed had been bullied into telling the whole guild she was a Dragon Master. Sure, she was mad at first, but Fairy Tail was her family, and she could trust them. They could help her train and she knew that they wouldn't hold anything against her. But one thought popped into her head and a realization dawned on her. _Who _was going to help her train? Surely not the entire guild would be training her, so who were the ones that were?

Levy was one for sure; Lucy knew that one right off the bat. Natsu was also helping her train. He'd been the first to… take the risk? Lucy laughed inwardly. From the looks of it, it really was a risk. Lucy was sure Erza would find her way into the training schedule somehow, too, and shuddered at the pictures she was imagining. Erza. Training. Lucy. Training… with Erza… That said right there was enough to send reeling back in fear.

Lucy thought harder about who could possibly help her train. There were endless possibilities, really. Everyone in the guild was there for her, and they always would be. She learned that after Phantom Lord attacked them to retrieve her for her father.

Lucy would have loved to think further into the topic, but when a certain pink-haired teen began to sit up in his bed, making sure he was okay became her first priority.

"How are you feeling?" she asked quietly and cautiously, afraid that he still had a headache. Natsu yawned and groggily rubbed his eyes. He really was cute when he looked all innocent.

"Better," he replied, his voice coming out as softly as hers had. He shielded his eyes from the light and blinked the sleep from them. "How long was I been out this time?" His husky voice held a slightly amused tone in it.

"Well, I brought you back here yesterday afternoon, and you've been sleeping ever since. I stayed at the guild last night because you hadn't woken up yet." Lucy's voice was calm and quiet. She'd convinced Mira to let her sleep in one of the beds in the infirmary the night before, insisting that she needed to be the one to keep an eye on him. It was her fault he was like that, after all. But, it wasn't like she had gotten much sleep anyways. She'd been up almost all night, keeping a close eye on him.

"You shouldn't have stayed; you didn't need to," Natsu said. He was surprised that she'd stayed and was upset that she had. From the looks of her, she hadn't gotten much sleep at all. The dark circles under her eyes were proof of that.

Lucy sank into her chair sadly. He didn't want her to stay with him?

"But, I was worried about you," Lucy said, unknowingly letting the words pass her lips. Natsu sat up straighter, interested in the words she spoke, and surprised that she'd said them. "Plus, it's my fault you're hurt in the first place." Natsu slouched a little, felling almost disappointed.

"Anyways, how are you? Does your head still hurt?" Lucy asked with concern when Natsu didn't say anything.

"Actually, I feel fine now. Amazing, actually," Natsu said smiling that huge, contagious grin of his. Lucy smiled back.

"That's good," she replied with a sigh of relief. 'Maybe I can finally eat something,' she thought to herself.

Natsu nodded at her statement. He wished she would go home and get some rest, and maybe he would join her on her soft bed that he loved so much. Although, now he wasn't quite sure if it was the bed he loved, so much as it was he loved that it was Lucy's. He figured that since she'd worried about him, it was his turn to worry about her.

"You should go home and get some rest. I'm fine now, so you don't have to stay here." He flashed a warm smile at her as she smiled appreciatively back at him.

"I guess I could use a nap," she laughed slightly standing up from out of her seat. "I guess I'll see you later." She waved goodbye to her best friend as she made her way to the door. Seconds later, she was gone, heading home.

Natsu found himself wishing she'd stayed, but he was fine now, so he could just go visit her, right? The replay of their 5 minute training ran through his head.

"Eh," he said to himself, shrugging. "I'll take my chances."

He hopped energetically from the bed and headed into the guild's main room, everyone's usual chatter filling the room.

"I see, you're awake. That's why," Mira giggled upon seeing him. He got confused. What was she talking about? Mira, also seeing the confused expression on his face, took pity and explained.

"Lucy was here all day yesterday and insisted on sleeping on one of the extra bed in the infirmary in order to keep an eye on you. She was so worried; I couldn't even get her to eat. She finally left, and I guess it's because you're awake and okay," the barmaid explained, still giggling. Mira thought the two were just too cute for their own good. What on Earthland was she going to do with them, those silly, clueless lovebirds?

"Natsuuuu!" Happy called, flying into Natsu's chest. "I was so worried about you! Lucy's mad at me, too! Wah!" Happy cried.

"What did you do to make her mad?" Natsu asked curiously. Happy sniffled and explained.

"I told everyone that she was a Dragon Master and about the training," Happy confessed ashamed. "Erza made me!"

"And now, the whole guild is going to help with her training. We've all agreed to pitch in when needed," Mira said, holding up her index finger and smiling brightly. "Mainly, it will be Gray, Juvia, Wendy, and you, oh, and Levy and Erza." The transformation mage went back to drying glasses. For some reason, they always seemed to be wet.

"I'm going to Lucy's here in a little bit," Natsu explained as he sat at the bar. "I want to be there when she wakes up so I can say thank you for dragging my heavy ass all the way back to the guild."

Mira continued to giggle again, bursting into more fits of amused laughter.

"You know, I think Lucy might really love you, Natsu," she said leaning her elbow on the counter and letting her head rest in her hand.

Natsu blushed a very, _very _deep shade of red.

"No, no! We— We're just friends!" Natsu stuttered. The thought of Lucy loving him made his heart flutter in his chest. 'I think I might really love Lucy,' he thought. He wouldn't dare say something like that out loud. He was never good with girls and the whole "relationship" thing. It all confused him so much; he didn't understand any of it.

"Alright, whatever you say," Mira said smiling, obviously not convinced by Natsu's words. He rose from his seat and headed for the doors. The atmosphere that had been formed was making him all nervous, and he wanted to get out of there. It took about 10-15 minutes to get to Lucy's from the guild, so he figured he'd just walk slowly to give Lucy more time to sleep.

"Natsu, I'm coming too!" Happy shouted as he flew after the Dragon Slayer.

* * *

Lucy had gotten home and kicked off her boots by her front door. She proceeded to her bedroom where she then fell face first onto her cozy bed, vertically with its layout. She was so tired that she didn't even bother to drag up her leg that hung slightly over the edge of the bed. She was asleep in a matter of seconds.

Her dreams were pleasant, as anyone in love would want them to be. She sat with Natsu on the edge of a cliff that overlooked all of Magnolia. The sun was setting, casting hues of pink, purple, red, and orange across the sky and buildings of the city that was now beginning to settle down for the night. The two kicked their legs that dangled in the air while gazing at the beautiful painting the setting sun cast into the sky. Natsu began to inch his left hand towards her right hand that sat so close to his. He let his hand rest on top of hers and that made Lucy happy. She loved it more than she could describe. The comfortable silence that surrounded them played the most beautiful music that they had ever heard. It didn't make much sense, but it was a dream, after all. Even so, the sound of silence when in the company of the one you loved more than anything could make the most beautiful sound in the world.

The dream began to fade around them and Lucy called out for it not to end. She loved it there with Natsu; she didn't want that to go away. To her dismay, the dream continued to fade. She wondered why she had ever thought that telling a dream to stop fading would actually make it stop. She should've known that it wouldn't.

Lucy woke with a start, causing her to fall onto the floor. She groggily picked herself up and stretched out her arms, feeling amazingly refreshed and happy. The dream she had was so amazing. She giggled. 'I'm actually dreaming about him,' she thought amused. She heard a low chuckle from the corner of her room. Spinning around on her heels, she let her eyes rest on the character that stood leaning against the wall; his arms crossed across his chest.

"What kind of dream did you have that made you jump off your bed?" he asked amused.

"Natsu, what are you doing in my room?" she shouted, checking a pillow at his face.

"Hey now! I just wanted to be here when you woke up so I could say thank you!" he shielded his face from the pillows. Lucy stopped in mid backswing; the pillow in her hand slipped and fell to the ground.

"Thank me? For what?" She plopped down on her bed and Natsu crossed the room, sitting next to her.

"For dragging me back to Fairy Tail. And for staying with me all that time in the guild." Natsu scratched the back of his head. "I guess I should say sorry too, for making you worry so much."

Lucy just blinked at him. How worried did he think that she was? Did he know?

"Mira told me she couldn't even get you to eat." So he _did _know how worried she was.

"I'm sorry too!" Happy announced from the end of her bed. His voice startled her and she jumped, her heart pounding in her chest. "You know, for telling Erza and the others about you being a Dragon Master and all."

"Happy, it's okay," she said scooping him up into her arms. The cat hugged her back. "Besides, now, I'll be getting help from the others in the guild. By the way, who all is going to help?" she asked, looking at Natsu.

"Well, you already know that I'm helping you," Natsu began, pausing to give Lucy a big smile. "Erza, of course, wants to help. Levy wants to help too, but I don't know what she'll be helping with. Gray," Natsu paused to shudder, "is probably going to help you with Ice magic and Juvia said she'd help you with Water magic. Personally, I think she just wants to keep you away from Gray." Natsu laughed at his own comment and Lucy joined in. It was probably true that she wanted to keep her from Gray, but then again, they did trust each other, Juvia and Lucy did.

"Who else is helping? That can't be it," Lucy questioned.

"Oh yeah, Wendy is helping too. Mira said everyone else would help with whatever they can."

"Maybe she'll teach Lucy Sky magic and Lucy will be able to help you with your motion sickness, Natsu!" Happy chimed. The trio began to laugh.

"I think we just need to find a permanent solution to that," Lucy joked. The laughter died down and left them in silence.

"So when do you think they're going to start the training?" Lucy asked Natsu. He rested his chin is his cupped chip, pondering over the question.

"Right now!" a certain scarlet-haired Titania shouted authoritatively, slamming the front door open and walking in like she owned the place. She made her way to the bedroom where Natsu and Lucy sat with Happy sitting comfortably on Lucy's lap.

"O-okay," Lucy stuttered. Oh gosh, the pain was going to start _now?_ Lucy swallowed the hard lump that had formed in her throat. First up was Erza… that should be interesting… or painful… right?

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**END NOTE: So how did you like it? A good balance of romance and plot? lol and I left you with a cliffhanger... kind of. Don't forget to review please! I hope you're enjoying my story so far. Although, I can assume that since you're reading this, that you have read the story because you enjoy it. :) You are not being forced to read this! So the number of people who are reading it just makes me so happy! I want to be a writer to make my living, and the popularity of my stories really give me hope and the inspiration to continue with my goal of being a professional writer/novelist. Thank you all so much! I look forward to writing the next chapter! Until next time...**

**~Allie-K**


	9. Note and Short Story

**I know I shouldn't update this, but I have to. I just have to apologize for not being able to update in so long. The school year is almost over and I've had a ton of stuff to do and haven't really had time to write. On top of that, I'm having a major case of writers' block! I hate it! Does anyone else? I don't have time to update an actual chapter, so instead I'll type a little short for you guys. Is that okay? Sure it is! :) Here it is!**

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"Natsu! Why is my stove on fire!" Lucy shouted, panicked and frazzled by the sight of the flames dancing above the burners.

"It's on fire? Oh crap!" Natsu shouted, rushing into the kitchen. An expression of panic showed on his face. "Happy, help me put it out! Don't let it burn!"

Happy and Natsu frantically fussed over the flames, trying to save whatever poor, charred object was inside the oven and on the burner.

"Natsu, you were supposed to watch it!" Happy complained. He hurried to the sink, grabbing a cup sitting on the counter. He filled the cup with water and tossed it at the stove, repeating the action over and over until the smoke and steam made it almost impossible to see.

"I thought you said you were going to watch it, Happy!" Natsu shouted back at the cat through the clouds.

"What does it matter now? It's ruined and Lucy is going to kill us! We'll have to start over and we're running out of time!" Happy ranted.

"What were you guys even doing?" Lucy asked, the anger and irritation she felt seeping through the curiosity.

"Nothing," they shouted in unison. Lucy fanned a cloud of smoke out of her face and coughed.

"Nothing? This doesn't look like 'nothing' to me," she said in between coughs. She quickly rushed from the kitchen, trying to escape from suffocating in the smoke and steam.

Lucy was curious. Usually, she would completely reject the idea of understaning what the two were thinking and doing, but this was something she just had to understand. They'd mannaged to catch her stove on fire, which wasn't really a big surprise, but why her stove? The first thing that came to her mind was that they were cooking something. That was a given. But, what were they cooking and why? The possibilities were endless and rather frightening.

"Lucy, we're real sorry about your stove, but it's alright now. We got the fire out, we just need to clean everything up," Happy said as he flew from the still cloudy kitchen.

"I guess I'll get to cleaning then," Lucy sighed as she headed toward the cloud of smoke.

"No, no! We'll do it! Don't you worry about a thing, Luce," Natsu assured as he ran at her, blocking her way. "Besides, there's still a lot of smoke in there, and you could get real sick from it."

"Uh, do you really think that I'd let you two take care of it? You're the reason the whole thing happened!" Lucy clenched her fists. She was beyond irritated at this point. So many things had been going on and she'd lost track of time, forgotten important things, and she'd even lost her keys at one point. She'd had a ton of missions lined up, each one right after the one before, so that she could pay rent. They took up about a week and a half of her time and she didn't have any time at all to go home. She'd forgotten about Happy's birthday and missed the party the guild had thrown. Happy had already forgiven her, but she still felt bad about it. But, she still felt like she was forgetting something else, and it was driving her crazy.

"You're right, Lucy. We did make the mess, so we're going to clean it up," Natsu said with his big, goofy gring on his face. He took hold of her arms. "You've been working way too hard," he began, spinning her around toward her front door. "You need to take a break or something. Why don't you go talk to Mira at the guild? I promise we'll have everything cleaned up when you get back." With that, he shoved her at the door, opening it and guiding Lucy out. He waved at her as she stared at him, bewildered by his words. Not knowing what else to do, Lucy left for the guild.

She felt she had been working way too hard, but going to the guild wasn't exactly her idea of relaxing. But, she guessed that the guild would have to do.

Lucy walked into the crowded and noisy guild and made her way to Mira at the bar. Everyone threw glances at her at she crossed the room.

"Hey Mira," Lucy said as she sat in her usual seat at the bar.

"Hey Lucy. You look so worn out. Did something happen?" she asked curiously. Her tone suggested she knew something and was up to something that involved Lucy.

'Oh dear lord,' she thought to herself.

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**There is the short. I'll be continuing it, I promise. This is really helping me with my block though, so that's good. I couldn't use Microsoft Word for this, so let me know if you find any spelling or grammar errors. Until next time...**

**~Allie-K**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN/: Hey! I'm back with a full chapter this time! YAYY and school's out! ... WOOOOOHOOOOOO! I was so happy that for some reason it broke my writer's block! So, I came home and the first thing I did was type up this chapter. I'd already had the beginning of it typed up, I just didn't know how to finish the chapter. It's FINISHED! Yay more NaLu too! Not too much though. I promise I'll pick up on the plot soon. Stuff is going to be happening. Please enjoy this long awaited and long overdue chapter! **

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"O-okay, but, E-Erza?" Lucy stuttered. "Do we r-really have to start right n-now?"

"Of course!" Erza shouted sounding as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Now, let's go!" Erza demanded, pulling at Lucy's wrist, effectively dragging her out the front door.

"Oh, I'll come too!" Natsu shouted excitedly. He felt as if he were forgetting something, but distracted himself by running towards the door with Happy trailing behind him voicing his approval of the idea.

Training with Erza would be difficult for Lucy, Natsu knew that and he almost felt bad for the poor girl. No matter what kind of training it was, it would be hard.

Erza took them to a small field behind the guild.

"Master set this aside for me to train in," Erza explained. Natsu, Lucy, and Happy gawked at the sight of the perfect ground, wondering how it could still look so perfect if Erza trained there. They hadn't even known that the place had existed until that day.

Natsu and Happy looked at each other before jumping in excitement at the sight of the Titania's training grounds.

"You two really do get way too excited, way too easily," Lucy huffed in annoyance. She _really _didn't want to train with Erza, at least, not yet. She still had no idea how to control her magic and the idea of training with Erza without having a good way to defend herself other than by using her spirits… A shiver ran up the mage's spine.

In all honesty, Lucy felt pretty stupid. Erza was an S-Class mage, and she had decided to dedicate some of her time to training her friend while Lucy didn't really know what to do. It would be rude to refuse Erza's, er, offer to help her train.

"Lucy, show me what you've learned so far," Erza demanded, taking her position in front of the blonde mage.

"B-but… uh…" Lucy gave Natsu a desperately pleading look, and it pulled at the Fire mage's heart strings for some reason.

"What?" Natsu asked bluntly. He'd completely forgotten to realize that Lucy didn't know how to control her magic! He'd meant to teach her, but getting knocked out had apparently prevented him from doing that.

Erza face-palmed, which was rather funny considering her personality, and shook her head in disbelief.

"How could I have been so stupid as to just rush into things like this? Lucy has only just started her training!" she ranted.

"Whoa, whoa, it's okay," Lucy assured timidly. Erza always got worked up when she thought she'd done something to hurt her friends.

"No!" Erza retorted. "This… this is unforgivable! Lucy, I would like you to punish me for what I've done," she said with clenched fists. The color drained from Lucy's face.

"No, no, really it's okay. Wh- why would I punish you?" Lucy said with a shaky, timid voice.

"Lucy, I'm sorry too," Natsu spoke. "I didn't even realize that I'd forgotten about your training, and then I let Erza drag you here. I… I should have said something," Natsu apologized. They were making such a big deal out of it that Lucy felt fried. It wasn't their fault and nothing bad happened, so it was fine. No harm, no foul, right? If anything, she felt it was her fault for not being better with her magic.

"Lucy, I'm sorry," Erza began. "This is my fault."

"No, Lucy it's my fault," Natsu said. "I'm sorry." Then, the two went back and forth, debating whose fault it was. The words flew back and forth, and Lucy was smack dab in the middle of it. It's his fault, it's her fault… their fault for what? Nothing really happened, or did she miss something?

"We're sorry!" they both yelled in unison.

'Sorry for what!' Lucy's mind screamed.

It was silent. Lucy stared at the two, eyes wide, face pale, throat bone dry, and motionless. She felt stupid. There must be something she wasn't getting. But, what was it?

It was like her brain short circuited, the spark igniting a fire that set her head ablaze. Natsu, Erza, and this time, Happy too, jumped back in surprise as the flames danced around her golden hair.

"Gah! What's going on?" Natsu shouted as Erza rushed to fetch a bucket of water she'd brought as a precaution. With the bucket in her hands, she rushed back and tossed the water over Lucy's head, extinguishing the flames. Steam rose from Lucy's head as she fell to her side, her expression unchanging.

"Lucy? Lucy!" Erza called as she waved a hand in front of her face. Lucy remained motionless.

"Oh god! We broke her brain!" Natsu shouted with terror, cradling his head in his hands.

"We have to fix it!" Happy yelled. "I'll get the glue!" he announced.

"Lucy, I am so sorry!" Natsu was practically screaming hysterically.

"Please, for the love of god, stop saying that," Lucy said breathlessly, still lying on the ground. One, she'd never heard Natsu say 'I'm sorry' so many times in one day, let alone one hour. Two, she still didn't knoe why they were apologizing.

"You're okay!" Natsu laughed with a big, happy grin on his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Lucy said sitting up, crossing her legs. Natsu sat down beside her, folding his legs too, as Happy flew over and landed on Lucy's head.

"Your brain, it's not broken anymore, right?" Happy asked innocently. Lucy couldn't help but giggle at his question. Her brain didn't feel broken, but it definitely felt fried.

"Feels intact," she said knocking on the side of her head. She reached up and gave Happy a pet on the head. "I'm fine," she assured.

"I guess since you two are already here, you can use this field for training today," Erza said. "I'll leave you to train, since I feel that I'll be in the way if I stay here," she continued.

"O-okay," Lucy stuttered.

"Natsu, I'm gonna go hang out with Charle," Happy said, flying after Erza. "You two have fun!"

"O-okay." This time, it was Natsu who stuttered as the Exceed and the Titania left him and his partner in the field. It would just be him and Lucy… alone. For some reason, that made him feel… nervous? Anxious? He couldn't quite tell.

Lucy's fake smile had been long gone for a while now, and Natsu was just too spaced out to notice. He'd been caught up in the fact that he was now alone with Lucy. They were supposed to be training, but Natsu just wanted to sit a while longer. He turned to Lucy and noticed a frown sat in the place of her usual cheerful smile.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I feel like an idiot," she said with disgust. She couldn't describe how much of an idiot she felt like at the moment. "I can't control my magic very well, I couldn't understand what you guys were so keen on apologizing for, and my head burst into flames. I mean, come on! Seriously!" She let out a sigh. She really did feel like an idiot. "I'm an idiot," she said hiding her face in her hands.

"Hey now," Natsu said almost defensively. She half expected him to defend his title as the idiot of Fairy Tail. "You're the smart one and I'm the idiot. That's how our partnership works. One is smart, the other is an idiot. I'm not too good at being smart, so let's keep things the way they are. What do you say?"

Lucy stared at him in disbelief for a moment. She definitely hadn't expected him to say something like that. And she knew he wasn't stupid. Lucy frowned again and Natsu stared back confused.

"You're smart. I know you are. I've seen it in you, and sometimes, I think you might even be smarter than me," Lucy said with her eyes glued to the ground as she played with blades of grass. Natsu chuckled lightly.

"Thanks, but I'm not that smart," he said with a kind smile, then stared up at the sky. Lucy smiled back, though he probably wouldn't see the smile. She'd never seen this side of Natsu before. He seemed so calm and level headed that if she didn't know any better, she would have thought he was a different person entirely.

"Tell me, why did you _really_ decide to let me train you with fire magic?" Natsu asked, still staring up at the sky. It caught Lucy off guard. She couldn't tell him that it was because she'd do just about anything for him, especially when it came to Igneel. How could she? She was afraid of rejection, so she had decided to just keep her feelings to herself. So, what would she tell him?

"I wanted to be more like you," she decided to say. 'Oops,' she thought. She'd better elaborate on that, shouldn't she?

Natsu's eyes grew wide and a small smile had grown on his face. He stared at her in amazement. He felt proud. His best friend, his partner, wanted to be more like him. It made him so happy.

"You'd do anything for your friends, no matter how insane it is. It's one of the things that make you such a great person, well, such a great friend. I wish I could be a friend like that," she explained. "Because, that's the way my mom was." Lucy felt a smile crawl onto her face at thinking of the good memories of her mother.

Natsu loved seeing Lucy happy. It made _him _feel happy any time she was happy. The fact that he was already extremely happy made Lucy's happiness on top of his… well he felt completely euphoric.

"I don't even feel like training," Natsu said, lying back and stretching out, folding his arms behind his head.

"We should train though, shouldn't we?" Lucy sighed, lying back as well.

"Nah."

"What? Are you afraid I'm going to knock you out again?" Lucy giggled. Natsu shot up into a sitting position.

"No!" he shouted defensively. Lucy sat up, too.

"Prove it then," Lucy sang out. "Come on, Natsu-sensei!" Lucy giggled again, bouncing up and onto her feet.

"Oh, now you're just making fun of me!" Natsu laughed getting up as well. "It's on!"

The two laughed and Natsu began to try and help Lucy gain control of her magic.

"It's all about feeling it. You have to feel its energy, learn what it is. Once you do that, you'll be able to control that. It'll take practice, but I'm sure you can do it," Natsu said smiling brightly.

Thump! Thump! Thump! There went Lucy's heart again.

"Thanks for the motivation, Natsu," she replied appreciatively.

Lucy tried and tried. Sometimes, she would get the hang of it, and then she would lose her concentration just because Natsu was there by her side. She would take a deep breath, as Natsu had instructed her to do every time she'd lose control, and tried again. Each time, the same thing happened.

'This is going to take a while if he's always here with me,' Lucy thought. But she didn't want to spend this time with anyone else, and was glad that it was him training her. With her, he just seemed so gentle, like she would break if he pushed her too hard. Each time she advanced and got better with her magic, he'd get a little tougher on her. He was only like that with Lucy. Only with Lucy.

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**END NOTE: Hey sorry it's a short chapter. But at least it's up. I will be working on that short story some more and will probably write more of that any time I have a bock. :) Also, I am now officially a Beta Reader! Let me know if you want me to edit anything. Also, I'm looking for some work in writing and really need a job. If any of you have any info for me I'd greatly appreciate it. Also, let me know if you find any errors. I typed this in a rush because I wanted to hurry and get it updated. Just for you guys! Until next time...**

**~Allie-K**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN/: Hey I decided to type and upload this chapter since it was on my mind. Lots of NaLu fluff. Warning :) This one is a bit longer, so let you eyeballs soak up the words! You shall all be my slaves in no time! MWAHAHAHAHA oops! Kidding! I was kidding! LOL XD You gotta love my craziness! Well, enjoy this chapter. **

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"Lucy," a voice said. Lucy shrugged it off. She wanted to sleep a bit more. She was absolutely worn out from training with Natsu, though he was much more gentle than she thought he would be.

Lucy ended up dozing back off and into her sweet dream.

_She saw him sitting on the end of her bed as she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. _

"_Morning sleepyhead," the pink-haired teen said with a smile. That guy, she loved him so much. _

"_Morning, Natsu," she said smiling back. _

"_So, what do you want to do today?" he asked. He dragged himself up next to Lucy,_

"…_?"_

_Natsu chuckled lightly at her reaction. _

"_For our anniversary, what do you want to do?" He took her hand in his. "I already have reservations at a restaurant for tonight, but what do you want to do before that?" _

'_Anniversary?' Lucy thought. She'd completely thought about their anniversary! _

"_Um… Hmm…" Lucy rested her chin on her hand, pondering over what she wanted to do that day. _

"_I'd suggest going to the guild, but they'd be all over us. Especially Mira, you know how she is with couples." They both laughed, agreeing with that completely. _

"_Let's just go for a walk?" Lucy suggested. She had to ask as a question just to be sure that Natsu would be okay with it. _

"_Sure, that's sounds like an amazing idea. " Natsu rejoiced in his mind. He'd been hoping for something like this. He could do that one extra thing for her that she deserved so very much. _

_Natsu ran to the phone while Lucy got dressed, and made arrangements with someone over the phone._

"_Natsu, where are we going?" Lucy asked. They'd been walking for a while, aimlessly. Well, at least that's what Lucy thought. They were in some type of town square with a stage in the center of it all. _

"_There's going to be a performance today, so I thought we'd drop by here," Natsu replied smiling mischievously._

_Lucy glanced at the stage again. It was set, a guitar on a stand, drums at the back, microphone in the front. _

"_Hmm, wonder who's going to perform," Lucy wondered aloud. Natsu's smile grew wider. _

"_You'll see, now just wait here," he said, leading her to a seat in the front then running off. Lucy waited, and not five minutes later, Natsu was up on the stage in front of her. Lucy's heart started to pound and a blush crept onto her face. _

'_Oh gosh, what is he doing?' Lucy thought. _

"_Welcome to the Town Open Mic Night!" Natsu announced to the crowd. They all went wild. "I'm Natsu Dragneel, or Salamander, from Fairy Tail, and I'm opening for this thing. We've got a long, long night ahead since this is starting so early, but it'll be worth it." The crowd's cheers grew louder. _

_Natsu picked up the guitar and adjusted the strap. _

"_I'm going to sing a song that I picked out myself. This is for the most important and amazing girl in my life. Happy anniversary, Lucy."_

_Lucy's blush grew and she was anxious to hear what song he picked out. Did he even know how to play the guitar? _

_Natsu began to strum on the guitar. So far, they actually sounded like chords and notes. The rest of the band joined soon after. Then he began to sing._

"_Lost, in the day, in a way, it's the same as the one before this_

_And I wish, I could say, that it's all black and white but it's gray_

_It's the same, it's the same, and I'm so tired…_

_But you, are what I'm coming home to."_

_Natsu looked at Lucy and smiled as he continued to sing._

"_Oh, I'm thinking about a red wine buzz and taking it easy_

_And I got you in my arms, taking a break from crazy."_

_Natsu began to dance back and for slightly as the chorus began. Lucy smiled and swore that she was going to cry. He had an amazing voice. _

"_And I'll say hey, you'll say baby, how's your day? I'll say crazy_

_But it's all gonna be alright._

_You'll kiss my smile, I'll pull you closer_

_Spend a while, just gettin' to know ya_

_But it's all gonna be alright_

_I'm loving you tonight!"_

_He finished the song and got a standing ovation from the crowd, especially from Lucy. She couldn't describe how happy she was. No one had ever done that for her before. A serenade. It was amazing, no, beautiful. That's what it was. The whole thing was beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that she'd begun to cry. _

_Natsu ran off the stage afterward and found his beloved girlfriend of one year crying. _

"_Wha- what's wrong?" he asked worriedly. Did he do something wrong? Was he that bad?_

"_That…" Lucy sniffed. "That was the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him and crying louder. "I don't think any girl can feel happier or feel as loved as I do right now!" _

_Natsu smiled and sighed with relief. That's what he wanted, for her to feel like the happiest girl in the world. Just like how she made him feel like the happiest guy in the world every day. _

"LUCY!" Lucy jumped awake, almost falling off of her bed.

"WHAT!" she screamed at whoever had just yelled at her.

"Get up, sleepyhead!" a familiar voice laughed.

"Natsu?" she asked, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She'd just had the most amazing dream in the world, and he'd woke her up from it?

"Yep!" he replied cheerfully.

Lucy's mind was spinning. She'd just had a dream about Natsu, and now here he was in her room, waking her up. She felt that she should have been mad, but instead she was almost anxious. How is it that her childish best friend could make her feel like her heart would jump right out of her chest?

"Lucy?" Natsu asked again, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I was thinking," she admitted a bit embarrassed.

"About what?" he asked curiously. He had his usual innocent look on his face, the same adorable one as usual.

What was Lucy supposed to say, that she had an amazing dream about him serenading her? Did he even know what that was? If she said she was thinking about a dream, he'd ask what the dream was about for sure.

"Uh, I was thinking about my training for the day." The blonde laughed nervously. "You know, I'll be busy, busy, busy."

"Yeah, training with Gray and Juvia today, that should be interesting," Natsu scoffed.

"What?" Lucy asked feeling a bit offended.

"No, nothing towards you, but Gray and Juvia as teachers…? I'm not so sure how that'll work out. Juvia is always calling you her 'love rival' and Gray is going to be there, too. Think of all the things that could go wrong," the Dragon Slayer laughed.

Lucy gulped as an image of Juvia trying to drown her flashed through her mind.

"Don't be scared. I'll be there making sure that stupid stripper doesn't do anything too stupid." He smiled reassuringly at his partner and she smiled appreciatively back.

"Thanks."

Lucy shooed Natsu from her room so she could get dressed for the day.

Why would she have a dream about Natsu like that? She couldn't get her mind off of that dream. The song he sang, it was one of her favorite songs by Andrew Allen. It was called _Loving You Tonight. _She did love that song. It was one of those songs that you could listen to over and over and never get sick of it. It was sweet and simple, but catchy and moving; a perfect song to use for a serenade.

A smirk slid onto Lucy's face as she pulled her top over her head. She shouldn't let that dream get to her. Chances were that nothing would happen between her and Natsu, no matter how much she wished that something would. The whole point of all the training was for Natsu, anyways. It was about Igneel, which was usually top priority for Natsu.

She finished getting ready and left her room to find Natsu slouching on her couch. He hopped up and bounced over to her.

"You ready to go?" he asked. She responded with a simple nod. So, they left for the guild.

"Juvia is so happy that she is able to help Lucy, even if she is my love rival!" Juvia beamed brightly, standing in front of Lucy. The Dragon Master in training swallowed hard again. They'd just arrived at the guild and didn't even get outside to where they would be training yet.

"Don't worry," Natsu said softly, standing next to Lucy and putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I won't let her drown you or anything."

"I don't think you have to worry about her, Juvia," Gray smirked. "I think Flame Brain over there might snatch her up before anyone else can."

"What did you say Ice Freak!" Natsu shouted.

"You heard what I said Flame Breath! Or do you need to clean your ears out and have me say it again?" Gray shouted back.

"You wanna go!"

"There they go again," Lucy huffed. "I kind of figured we wouldn't get very far today." She tried to act casually, despite the dream she'd had and the comment that Gray had made that Natsu either didn't hear or was just avoiding.

"_I think Flame Brain over there might snatch her up before anyone else can." _Gray's words echoed in her mind. Would he really? Could Natsu possibly have feelings for her? Maybe she was just over thinking everything and overanalyzing.

"Juvia will definitely help Lucy," Juvia said calmly. "I think you and Natsu look cute together. I think the whole reason you're doing this is so romantic!" she squealed. "I hope Gray-sama does something like that for me one day!" You could practically see the hearts in her eyes.

"No! No, no, Natsu's my partner and my best friend. There's nothing going on between us!" Lucy said defensively as she turned her head in an attempt to hide her blush.

**Meanwhile**

Natsu and gray had somehow ended up on the other side of the guild. There were hardly any people there; it was pretty early in the morning, after all.

"Just admit you like her, Natsu," Gray said, his voice lowering to a normal, speaking volume.

"Well, you just admit you like Juvia!" Natsu retorted, his voice about the same volume as Gray's.

"I- I do not like Juvia," Gray stuttered, hiding a crimson blush. "And you didn't deny liking Lucy!"

"So!" Natsu shouted defensively, also blushing.

"So, tell her! I'll bet that the only reason she agreed to this training is because of you. She's doing it for you."

"… well, uh, you should tell Juvia how you feel! I don't want her drowning Lucy or anything stupid like that!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!" Gray let out a sigh of irritation. "You know, you're my friend. Yes, I'll admit it. So, how about, if I tell Juvia how I feel, or make a move on her, you tell Lucy or make a movie on her, how's that sound?"

Natsu froze. It wasn't a bad idea, but… but…

"I… I'm so scared of rejection. I'm afraid that she won't feel the same way, and then everything will be weird between us. She's my best friend, and if we can't be anything more than friends, then I want to at least remain friends." Natsu clenched his fists. Why was he telling him all of this? It was Gray, of all people! He felt stupid and weak. He felt vulnerable, and Gray could use that to his advantage.

"Don't rush yourself, and don't rush her," Gray said softly. That definitely wasn't what Natsu was expecting to hear. "I believe things will just work out between you two in the end," gray said with a smile. This was one of those times when Gray really showed that he was a friend. It wasn't often that he showed that to Natsu, but he did show him every once in a while, just to remind him that he _was _a friend.

"Thanks, Gray," Natsu said with a smile. "But I'm still gonna kick your ass, you stripper!"

"I'd love to see you try!"

Yep, that was their friendship. It wouldn't be any other way.

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**END NOTE: Well, how was it? Long? I think so! :) *smiles proudly* This chapter is actually very VERY important to the plot. So remember this chapter! Or else!... or else nothing really. lol BTW the song in the dream is called (as I said in the chapter)_ Loving You Tonight _by Andrew Allen. Look it up on youtube or something. It will really make this chapter like 10x's better! I promise! Review and let me know if you actually looked the song up and listened to it, and I'll take requests for my Nalu One Shot project I'm going to be starting soon! I'll be sure that your ideas are credited to you, by the way. Well, as usual, just let me know what you thought of the chapter, and heck why not the entire story so far as well. BYE FOR NOW!**

**~Allie-K**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN/: Behold! The newest chapter of The Dragon Masters is here! Feast your eyes on its glory! LOL I spent a good amount of time on this chapter, so I hope you guys like it. I tried not to focus too much on the romance aspect of the story. I think that I'll be writing more plot now. Don't worry though, there will still be some romance in there. I'm going to Cedar Point tomorrow for band. :) I have to be up at the school by 7:15 though. T_T Well, enjoy this chapter!**

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"Focus, Lucy. Juvia knows you can do this," Juvia motivated. Lucy was trying her best to control the water that floated in front of her at the moment. It took all of her concentration to just keep it together and in the air like it was now. What would it take to do anything else with it? An arm? A leg? Oh, how about her head on a silver platter? Lucy knew she was just exaggerating her thoughts, but still, the complaining helped her keep calm.

"Lucy!" Natsu shouted breaking her concentration. The water crashed to the floor, getting the Dragon Master in training and her teachers drenched from head to toe. Not only were they completely soaked, they were also extremely furious.

"Natsuu!" Lucy growled furiously through her teeth. Natsu pulled his arms up, shielding his face.

"Don't hurt me!" Natsu screeched, causing Lucy to flinch, covering her ears.

"Damn it! Don't be so loud!" she yelled. Everyone eyed her curiously as she continued to cover her ears.

Juvia placed a gentle hand over Lucy's.

"Juvia thinks we'll be done for today. You did well, so why don't you go home and rest?" Juvia suggested. Lucy nodded slowly and headed for the doors, her hands remaining at her ears.

"It looks like Lucy's pissed at you," Gray scoffed at Natsu. Some people glared at Natsu and some rolled their eyes at Gray. Natsu just shook his head, tilting it sideways in thought.

"I don't think she mad at _me_, so much as she's mad that she couldn't keep her magic controlled when I scared her," Natsu said thoughtfully. He thought back to the conversation he'd had with her in Erza's training field.

"It seems that way," Mira chimed in. "But, I think something else is bothering her," she added, almost as an afterthought to herself. She'd been watching the blonde closely. Admittedly, she'd been watching Natsu as well. They were currently her favorite 'project' as she liked to call it. She'd been watching the couple for a while, and now, with things going the way they were, it was getting even more interesting.

Mira had noticed how Lucy tended to flinch at loud sounds more often, how she got more and more irritated when the guild broke into one if its usual fits of chaos. Something was definitely off lately. Lucy seemed more on-edge and more aware, yet she seemed to zone out quite a bit. Getting lost in thought, Mira would guess. It was the worst that day though. Mirajane, being the devious matchmaker that she was, knew that some of it had to do with Natsu, but the transformation mage had no idea what exactly and she was just itching to know.

"I'm gonna go check on her," Natsu said, heading out the doors and to Lucy's apartment.

Oh, what Mirajane wouldn't give to be a fly on Lucy's bedroom wall. Mira usually had the scoop on everything that happened in Fairy Tail and was usually the first to know, but she had to get her information from somewhere.

Her eyes fell on the blue Exceed that sat at the end of the bar trying to persuade Charle to accept the fish he was offering. Happy! That little info-gathering feline would be perfect for the job!

"Oh Happy," Mira called out, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Happy swallowed hard. That tone was never a good sign.

(^_^) (^_^)

Natsu jumped up to Lucy's window. She always left it unlocked, even though she constantly yelled at him to use the door. You would think she'd have enough sense to lock the window to prevent him from using it, right? He chuckled lightly to himself. Maybe she was just always expecting him.

He entered quietly, not wanting to startle Lucy, who was curled up on her bed, her hands still covering her ears. She looked like she was in pain.

"Maybe I should come back later," Natsu muttered to himself almost inaudibly. He'd been fully prepared to climb back out the window, but a hand suddenly stopped him. He turned to find her grasping his arm and clenching her teeth.

"Lucy?" Natsu questioned quietly. Lucy seemed to be easier to get along with if you weren't yelling. "I know, I know, you don't want me coming in the window or just walking into your house," he said softly, rolling his eyes. He'd probably get a kick in the face for that, but he didn't care much. Lucy released his arm, let hers fall to her side, and moved back, turning her gaze away from him.

"What are you doing here?" Lucy asked softly after a moment of silence. She didn't sound mad or irritated. In fact, she sounded rather tired and pained.

"I just wanted to check on you," Natsu answered kindly, softly shutting the window and seating himself next to Lucy on her bed. "Are you okay?"

It was silent again and Lucy had closed her eyes tightly, her hands flying up to cradle her aching head. Oh god did it hurt. All the sounds were assaulting her ears and it was like even the most casual of volumes sounded as if her ears were pressed up against loudspeakers. There were so many smells swirling in the air around her that she felt almost nauseated by the unfamiliar aromas. She'd dealt with it as best as she could all day, but it was really starting to get to her.

The scent of a forest was strong in her nose, and thankfully, it began to drown out all of the other scents that surrounded her. She tried to take a deep breath, slowly and shakily inhaling the sweet and soothing scent of pine and spice. Whose scent was that? Where was that relaxing aroma that suddenly dulled all of her pain coming from?

She jumped at the sudden touch of a hand on her shoulder and her eyes snapped open. It was Natsu's hand that had landed on her shoulder. The scent she so longed to be close to was fading, allowing the pain to seep back into her temples. She quickly snapped her eyes shut again, closing out the blinding light that burnt her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked with great concern. His eyes scanned over her continuously in search of any sign of injury. He unknowingly leaned in closer to her, his eyes now fixed on her face. Her scent let him know that she felt a bit scared, and her expression held all that of an expression of being in pain.

"My… my head," she breathed quietly, letting her eyes crack open slightly to see Natsu, who had leaned closer. She still felt nauseous, but that scent of pine and spice drifted back into her nose, numbing the pain slightly. "It… hurts," Lucy whimpered. Tears began to prick at her eyes.

It was Natsu that smelled of forest pine and sweet spice, and it was his scent that was helping dull the pain that pounded in her skull. She wanted so much to let that smell envelope her into a blanket of comfort, to let it take all the pain away. She wanted the pain to go away, and whatever it was causing the pain, to leave with it.

Natsu slid his hand from her shoulder to the back of her head, pulling her in to comfort her. He wrapped his other arm around her. He figured he knew what her ailment was, and was quite familiar with it himself.

There were days when Natsu's dragon-like senses went haywire. Smells would nauseate him, the light would blind him and cause his head to pound, and even the smallest of sounds were loud, echoing booms that made him feel like his head was splitting in two. He remembered that pain as a kid too, when his senses were developing. That's what must have been happening to Lucy.

Natsu's scent got stronger as she felt him pull her head to his chest. Why was he doing this? Lucy figured he was just trying to comfort her, but wouldn't their… position… be awkward for him? She felt as if she were using him as a tool, basking in the comfort of his scent and embrace. But, the pain she had felt was just as bad as her guilt, and she could always apologize later, right?

Lucy didn't understand why she was feeling such pain in the first place, but she was determined on fully enjoying the comfort that Natsu's scent brought her. She nuzzled her face into the Fire Dragon Slayer's chest. Such a tantalizing scent it was… so nice… so comforting. She felt like she could stay there like that for the rest of her life. She never wanted that moment to end; she never wanted the pain to come back.

What was it about Natsu that was so reassuring? Why was it his scent that gave her comfort? Why was it him? Lucy had so many questions that she just didn't have answers for. There had been so much on her mind that she didn't know what to make of it. Her thoughts lingered on what was happening to her, the splitting headache and queasy stomach. The pain wouldn't allow her to think much of anything else. But the other thoughts still found their way into her mind. Thoughts about the dragons, about Luka and what she was up to, about her training and her magic, and about the dream she'd had.

She felt frazzled by it. Why would she have such a dream, and about Natsu, no less? She knew she had feelings for her pink-haired best friend, but she had to have fallen hard for her to be dreaming about stuff like that. It wasn't like she'd ever had dreams like that before, either. It was only once; just that one dream.

It was silent in the room as he held Lucy close to him, but Natsu didn't really mind. He found their position comfortable. He knew that Lucy was only staying as close to him as she was because it soothed her pain. He didn't mind, he never really held anything against his nakama.

Lucy's consciousness started to slip away further and further, and soon she drifted into a very welcomed sleep. Natsu let his eyes shut as he enjoyed the comfortable silence between them. He knew Lucy had fallen asleep, but as usual, he didn't mind. They stayed like that for a little while until Natsu picked up a very familiar scent.

The cat that flew outside Lucy's bedroom window peered in, a camera in his paws. He couldn't believe that Mirajane had talked him into spying on Lucy and Natsu. She really was a she-devil. She knew his weakness: fish… and a gigantic plate of them too. As soon as she brought the platter out, Happy's thoughts went out the metaphorical window as he drooled over the delicious looking bribe.

CLICK! One picture was all he needed, according to Mira. Good thing too, because the clumsy cat had forgotten to turn the flash off. He saw Natsu's head spin to the direction of the window with a menacing glare.

'Oh crap!' Happy thought. He flew away as fast as he could, but felt bad. Usually, he'd be more than willing to spy on Natsu and Lucy. He was always teasing them about stuff like that, but this time, things seemed to be a bit more serious. Natsu was Happy's best friend. In truth, he knew Natsu better than anyone else, even Lucy. He also wasn't stupid. Having grown up with Natsu, he figured that he knew what Lucy was going through. He'd helped comfort Natsu for the same thing on many occasions when they were younger.

Happy knew that the situation was serious. Lucy was in pain. Her new senses were more than likely fully developing and setting in. The Exceed had seen enough of Natsu's suffering to know that Lucy sure wasn't in the mood to deal with any crap.

"Poor Lucy," Happy muttered. He knew how Lucy hated for her friends to see her in pain. That was why she hid herself away at home whenever she was sick. She didn't want others to worry about her.

Happy gripped the camera tighter in his paws, pausing and hovering above the street. Lucy was his friend. She was his best friend's best friend. They were all best friends. Sure he teased them all the time, but they were still his friends. Every other time wasn't as serious as this. It wasn't like the world was ending, but it was definitely no laughing matter.

"No, I won't let Lucy down," happy resolved, looking around to see if anyone was watching. No one seemed to care. The citizens of Magnolia were used to seeing Happy, so why would they bother to make a big deal out of anything now?

After making sure the 'coast was clear', Happy casually let the camera slip from his paws, letting it plummet to the ground. It landed with a crack that sure didn't sound like good news for the electronic. The Exceed just hoped that the damage was enough to destroy what Mirajane was after.

"Oops," Happy said looking at the camera on the ground. He dropped to the ground and picked the camera up carelessly, flying off toward the guild.

CRACK!

Happy dropped the camera again, this time eliciting a louder crack from the device.

'That should do it!' Happy thought proudly. He was glad that he could do something for his closest friends. He picked up the broken camera once more and headed to the guild.

(^_^) (^_^)

Lucy jumped, startled by the sudden movement of the pillow she was currently resting her head on. She lifted her head to find herself staring into the eyes of her partner.

"N-Natsu!" He was still there? When had she fallen asleep?

"You feeling any better?" Natsu asked with a knowing smile.

Lucy thought for a moment. Her headache was gone and she could open her eyes without being blinded. The various sounds and smells that had surrounded her before were still there, but they weren't as harsh on her ears and nose. She could still smell the scent that had comforted her earlier that day. She could hear his breathing and the frantic pounding of his heart. Was he nervous or something?

"Yes, actually," Lucy began. She was amazed. A simple nap had seemed to do the trick, or was it Natsu that had done something? "I feel about a million times better," she finished with a smile. It was then that she noticed Natsu's arms around her.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized sheepishly pulling away from him. She regretted it almost immediately, missing the warmth of his strong arms.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Natsu said, waving it off with his hand. "We have better things to worry about," he laughed.

"Like what?" Lucy asked slowly and cautiously.

"Like burning Happy to a crisp," he replied casually. Lucy's eyes bulged out of her head.

"What? Why would we do that to Happy?" she shouted. She wanted to murder that stupid cat on a daily basis, so why was Natsu suddenly all for it?

"I caught him spying on us. No doubt Mira probably put him up to it." He folded his arms across his chest. "He had a camera in his paws."

It was silent for a brief moment before Lucy let a growl rip from her throat.

"He's a dead cat!" she shouted. Whoa, had she just _growled_? Talk about strange.

"C-calm down, Luce." He pumped a fist in the air. "Besides, I can't let you have all the fun, can I?" He gave her one of his signature smiles.

"Absolutely not!" Lucy agreed.

Lucy had gotten up and grabbed her keys off of the table, though she didn't plan on using them to deal with Happy. She liked Natsu's idea much, much more.

With that, the two ran from Lucy's apartment and toward the guild where the poor, unsuspecting Exceed awaited.

* * *

**END NOTE: I made this chapter a bit longer for you guys. It's not super long, but longer than usual. I really really really really really really... really hope you review. :) I had started that contest, and so far, I don't have any entries... :( talk about depressing. Oh, well. I'm kind of used to stuff like that. I always try to be a leader figure but people blow me off like I'm not even there. *sigh* what a world! I hope to hear your opinion on how I'm doing. I always dream of people getting into serious discussion over my stories, but I guess that's just a dream. No biggy :) maybe someday... eh? Until next time...**

**~Allie-K**

**Oh, also, if you haven't noticed, I changed the summary. I wanted it to be more... accurate. :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN/: HEEEY! New chapter. Longer than usual. I already typed this earlier but my page did something weird before I could save it so I have to type all of this all over again... and I typed a LOT! I mentioned my trip to Cedar Point and reading about that in my blog that you can check out. the site name is on my profile page. Also, I keep forgetting to say thank you for all the reviews. I always mean to, I just forget. When I started typing this chapter I actually typed "DON'T FORGET TO THANK THE REVIEWERS!" just so I wouldn't forget this time. so... Thank you to all of you wonderful reviewers. You don't know how much every single one of your reviews means to me. Thank you. other than all of that, let you eyeballs soak up every word I typed in this chapter. Oh, and let me know how I did. I tried to keep everyone as in-character as I possibly could. So let me know how it turned out. Enjoy!**

* * *

The guild doors slammed open. There in its wake stood Lucy and Natsu with suspicious looking smirks on their features.

"Oh Happy!" Lucy sang with a smirk on her face. She was going to kill that stupid cat. Even if the situation wasn't _that_ bad, she still wanted to pay him back for all the other times he'd annoyed the hell out of her.

"Luu-cy?" Happy said, sounding excited at first but his expression falling at the end of the blonde mage's name.

Lucy didn't bring her keys with her, but she didn't plan on just punching the stupid cat. No, she was going to light his tail on fire and watch with pleasure as he ran in circles screaming about how mean she was. As cruel as it sounded, she had a feeling her magic wouldn't fail her.

Ever since she'd woken up after her little nap, she felt… different in some way. She felt more energetic and confident in her magic, especially her fire magic. She didn't really understand why, but who the hell cared? She felt amazing. She felt strong, and she was going to test that strength on that little traitor of a friend.

Happy was receiving glares from the white-haired barmaid behind him, and the blonde mage in front of him.

"Natsuuu! Mira is going to kill me and Lucy's being scary again!" Happy cried, flying to Natsu in hope of finding safety. "I'm scared," he said shivering.

Natsu smirked and grabbed Happy by the scruff of his neck. He gave a smile to Lucy.

"He's all yours," he sang happily. Happy began to tear up, flying away from the two and to the other side of the guild. He was dead. He was going to die. And he began to panic.

"Thanks," Lucy replied, the smirk remaining on her face as she eyed the fleeing cat. She held a fist in front of her. "You're a dead cat!" she yelled, her hands erupting into flames as she began to chase after him.

"Oh, don't forget to save a little of the fun for me," Natsu shouted, waving an arm in the air.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Lucy replied, a growl lying beneath her words as she continued to chase after Happy. Meanwhile, the other guild members had started in on some gossip.

"Wow, what happened to Lucy all of a sudden? It looks like she's having no trouble at all with her fire magic now. I wonder if Natsu had something to do with it. She looks like she feels a lot better than she did earlier. Happy's a goner." The comments came from everyone in the guild. Mira was still glaring at Happy, envying Lucy for being the one to tear that cat to shreds.

"You get back here you stupid cat!" Lucy shouted jumping over a table that Happy had flown over, knocking a cup down in the process.

Cana stood from her seat, which she had surprisingly been actually sitting in, and glared at Lucy.

"You knocked over my beer!" she shouted furiously. Lucy was her friend and all, but no one, and I mean no one, was going to interrupt her while she was drinking and get away with it. This meant war.

Cana chased after the culprit who knocked over her drink, who was chasing after the spy that Mira had sent, who was flying around screaming, while Mira continued to glare at Happy.

"How dare you knock over my drink!" Cana yelled.

"Just get another one!" Lucy screeched furiously in reply. "Happy, I'm going to catch you, and when I do, you're dead!"

"What did I do?" Happy cried.

"You damn little spy!" Lucy had just barely missed Happy's tail. She grabbed at it again, securing it in her grasp. The Exceed yelped as the flames on Lucy's hand singed his fur. "Mira put you up to it, didn't she?" she questioned, snarling menacingly.

Cana ran into Lucy, causing the flames on the blonde's hand to extinguish. Who the hell just suddenly stopped when they were being chased? She toppled over on Lucy, falling to the floor with a loud thud.

"God damnit!" Lucy cursed. Happy had been released from her grip and was now flying away with a smirk on his face. His tail hadn't caught on fire, but it still hurt. He was just glad that he'd gotten away from the demon-like blonde.

'Must be related to Erza,' Happy thought once again.

He hadn't been paying attention. Why hadn't he been paying attention? The Exceed really wished he had, because he'd flown right into the she-devil herself. Mirajane.

Mira held an ominous aura around her. Finally, the cat was in her grasp and she was furious with him. He had gotten the picture she wanted and then came back with a broken camera. She couldn't even salvage the data. She'd been so anxious to see what those two had been doing, and her hope just crashed into the ground along with the camera.

"You're going to pay for destroying that picture," Mirajane said through her clenched teeth. With another yelp, Happy took off in the other direction.

"I'm sorry!" Happy cried over and over.

Lucy bolted after him again, shaking off Cana and leaving her to chase after her again. Things were truly getting chaotic.

"You guys, just calm down and I'm sure we can talk this through," Gray said.

"You stay out of this!" Lucy and Cana shouted, both punching him square in the face. That was when the rest of the guild decided to join in.

"Looks like a fight started."

"Yeah, let's get in on that!"

**~Elsewhere in the guild~**

Lucy ended up running into Erza who had just gotten a fresh slice of strawberry cake. The cake fell onto the floor, Erza gawking in disbelief down at it. She reached over and grabbed Lucy by the collar of her low-cut shirt.

"What have you done?" Erza asked menacingly, trembling with rage.

"Just get another piece of cake! Now fucking let me go!" Lucy shouted. Almost everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at Lucy, their jaws on the floor, especially Natsu's.

"What did you just say?" Erza said dangerously, enunciating each word.

"You heard me, Erza! Mira, get her another piece of damn cake!" Lucy shouted.

Natsu watched the scene amusedly. Lucy had managed to slip away from Erza, though her method of escape had everyone's eyes bulging out of their heads and their jaws on the floor again. Lucy had lifted her arms, letting herself slip out of the top that Erza had clutched in her hand.

"Don't be a stripper like Gray!" Natsu had squeaked turning his head away, his face beat red.

After Erza had dropped the shirt to summon her sword, Lucy sprinted by, swiping her shirt up off the floor and sliding it back over her head. She then dashed up the stairs to the second floor, followed by Erza, Cana, Gray, Juvia, Mira, and Happy. Mira had begun to chase Happy, and the Exceed figured he'd rather be beaten by Lucy that by that demon. Gray was trying to stop them from fighting and Juvia had obviously followed Gray.

"I can't simply get another piece of cake!" Erza stated angrily. "That was the piece I was going to eat! I was going to eat that, and _you _made me drop it!" Erza got into her fighting stance.

"Stop fighting!" Gray yelled. For a brief moment, it had seemed to work.

"This is a serious matter, Gray. Once I'm finished with this, I'll be coming after you," Erza growled. The color drained from the ice mage's face.

While Erza was busy threatening Gray, Lucy had slipped past her and followed the Exceed down the steps. He began to run from Mira again. She was the one who began to chase him down the stairs first, and Lucy wasn't about to let Mira take her prey.

In a rush and on instinct, Lucy threw out a hand toward the stairs, wanting a slippery sheet of ice to appear beneath her feet. Amazingly, a sheet of ice did appear and Lucy used it to speed down the steps and hot onto Mira's trail. Mira looked at Lucy surprised.

"Where the hell did that come from," Mirajane asked, jabbing her thumb at the sheet of ice that covered the stairs. Mira had begun acting like the rough, though, girl she was as a kid.

"I wanted it to be there, so it is," Lucy smirked. She did feel somewhat proud that she was able to use her ice magic to summon that sheet of ice.

"So, why'd ya send Happy to spy on me and Natsu?" Lucy questioned, pointing a finger at the barmaid accusingly.

Mira gasped, acting offended.

"You know I have to have the scoop on everything that happens in this guild and then some!" Mira shouted. "That picture would have been absolute gold, wouldn't it have?" Mira glared at the young Dragon Master. "That's why you had Happy destroy the camera, isn't it?" she said, taking her turn to also point her finger at Lucy accusingly.

"What?" Lucy asked a bit confused.

Happy kept flying away, running to that traitor who handed him off to Lucy in the first place.

"Natsu, You're not really gonna let Lucy beat me up, are you?"

"No, of course not!" Natsu exclaimed. Happy let out a relieved breath. "She promised that I could have a go at it!" Natsu smiled.

Happy screeched and flew away again.

Boom. Boom! BOOM!

"You little brats!" his loud voice echoed. Every guild member froze in place then rushed to the outskirts of the guildhall. Not even Natsu was dumb enough to stay in the thick of it amongst the broken bottles and smashed tables.

The master had been brought into the situation. That was their cue that thing may have gotten a little out of hand.

"Who started this one?" Master Makarov asked, still in his giant, menacing form. Lucy remembered the first time she'd seen the master like that. She'd been terrified then he shrunk into a perverted, short, old man.

Most pointed at Lucy, but Mira, Natsu and Lucy had pointed at Happy and Mirajane.

"Lucy?" Master Makarov said in surprise. He shrunk down and looked around the room, taking in the damage. When he spotted the sheet of ice on the stairs he cocked his head slightly.

"What up with the ice?" he asked pointing a thumb at it the way Mira had.

That time, everyone's fingers were pointed at Lucy. Even Lucy herself had her hand raised above her with a finger pointing down at her.

The master's eyes widened. Lucy started it? From what he understood, she'd gone home earlier in the day not feeling well. Yet there she was looking as healthy as ever, if not more so. He'd heard of the whole training situation with Lucy, and understood that maybe something like this would end up happening, but for Lucy to actually start a fight like that… it didn't quite seem right.

The fingers had gone down and Lucy looked down at her feet guiltily.

"You put the ice on the stairs?" the old mage asked, surprise still coating his words. Lucy nodded her head.

Silence…

"Well done, kiddo!" the guild master praised.

'Again with the jaws?' Lucy thought. Their jaws had dropped, yet again, at the masters words.

"You're managing to control your magic a bit better, I see," he said with a proud smile. "Now why don't you all tell me what really happened?"

The only people who really knew what happened _and_ why, were Lucy, Natsu, Mirajane, and Happy. He didn't quite understand, but he knew.

Mira bravely took a step forward.

"Well, you see," she began, lifting her index finger, "I wanted to know what was wrong with Lucy and Natsu had gone to check on her. So, I sent Happy to try and get a picture of what they were doing. He said he got the picture, but the camera was shattered," Mira explained.

'I knew it!' Lucy shouted inwardly. Mira _had _put Happy up to it, but the camera had been shattered? 'What happened to the camera?'

Natsu stepped up and spoke next.

"In a nut shell, her senses were fully developing and setting in. I was trying to comfort her, and she kind of fell asleep leaning on me. I caught Happy taking a picture and knew that Mira had something to do with it all." Natsu folded his arms across his bare chest. His vest was never closed so the toned muscle was almost always exposed.

Happy began to speak after Natsu.

"Mira was mad that the camera was shattered, but the truth is, I broke it on purpose," Happy confessed.

Mira gasped and almost fainted. That cat! He did it on purpose! That was about one hundred times worse than it just breaking.

"I know that it's really painful when senses do that. I remember having to comfort Natsu because of them when we were younger, and he always seemed to be more comfortable when he cuddled up close to someone."

Natsu felt kind of awkward. He'd never told anyone that he used to curl up with Happy when his senses went a little haywire, so he felt a little embarrassed that Happy was saying it now. He always thought that telling other people about that would make him look weak.

"The situation with Lucy and Natsu was serious. I barely noticed it when she left the guild earlier, but she looked like she was in a lot of pain," the Exceed said sadly. He didn't like it when his friends were hurt. "Lucy doesn't like her friends seeing her when she's hurt or sick," Happy muttered.

"You broke the camera because you knew that she didn't want others seeing her in the condition that she was in?" Mira asked with soft and calm voice. Happy nodded in reply.

"If it wouldn't have been a serious thing, I would have been really excited to give you the picture, Mira. But when it comes to serious things like that, I don't like joking around as much."

"That still doesn't explain how all this happened," master said waving a hand at the wrecked guildhall.

"Well, I didn't know that Happy had broken the camera. I thought he'd given her the picture, which I thought was irritating. When Lucy woke up, I told her that I caught Happy taking a picture through her window and she got really mad. I suggested burning him to a crisp, you know, because that involves fire," Natsu explained with a wide grin on his face.

"Natsu likes fire," Happy stated.

"Lucy agreed with me and we came over here and Lucy started chasing Happy saying he was a dead cat," Natsu finished.

"Yeah, then she jumped up on the table and knocked over my beer!" Cana exclaimed.

"You drink full barrels of booze, Cana! You could've just gotten another beer!" Lucy interjected.

"Yeah, whatever!" she yelled back. "Anyway, I started chasing her around and I think Mira over there was glaring at Lucy or Happy."

"Both," the transformation mage confirmed. Her two siblings rolled their eyes at her. That was their big sister all right.

"They punched me in the face when I told them to stop fighting," Gray mumbled. "I think that's when everyone else joined in," he explained.

"Then Lucy ran into Erza and knocked her piece of cake on the floor by accident," Levy said continuing their explanation. She hadn't had a really big part in the fight, but nobody missed the encounter between Lucy and Erza. How could they.

"Yeah, Lucy's a stripper, like Gray!" Natsu shouted. There were really no words anyone could use to respond to that.

"Anywaaays…" Lucy finally said, trying to get everyone out of the awkward silence that Natsu had created.

"Basically, it was the rest of the guild that was actually fighting," Gray pointed out. "I noticed that they were just chasing each other around. Lucy and Mira were chasing Happy, Cana and Erza were chasing after Lucy, and I was chasing after them to try and get them to stop. At some point Lucy had begun to chase Mira and Cana was trying to pick a fight with me while Happy was running away from Natsu."

'Is that all?' Gray wondered to himself. He nodded to himself in confirmation. Yep, that seemed about right.

Makarov sighed. That sure was quite the story. He briefly wondered how Lucy managed to get away from Erza and survive, but then put it from his mind. It sounded too complicated.

He looked around the room at all of the guild members. They had said they would all pitch in to help Lucy train, and it seemed that in a way, they did. He knew how the guild's fights were. Lucy was probably dodging other fists left and right, and she'd still managed to keep track of where her 'target' was.

"I'm not going to take drastic measures in reprimanding all of you brats for this, because in a way you all just helped Lucy with her training, keeping you all true to your word," Master said. Everyone sighed in relief. "But, you all did take part in destroying everything in here. So, as punishment, you _all _have to clean up the guildhall!" the master said with a cheeky smile. "I want this place sparkling clean."

Nobody really minded that they had to clean the guildhall. It was something they'd had to do before and it was much better that _'that'_. No one wanted to have to go through 'that'!

The master began to walk away, leaving the rest of them to do their work.

"Remember," he began with another cheeky smile. "Sparkling clean." And with that he was gone, hidden away in his office once more.

**(Time Skip! Because cleaning is boring.)**

The guild was finally clean. Sparkling clean, just like the master wanted it. Lucy trudged over to where Natsu and Happy were sitting. They had tried to help clean but were banned from doing so after Natsu almost set half the guild on fire.

"I can't believe I started a huge fight in here," Lucy whined as she plopped down next to the Fire Dragon Slayer. "I feel awful about it," she said sadly.

"Don't," Natsu smiled. "Master said it was fine," he said, giving his best friend a thumbs up while his other arm rested behind his head.

"I know, but I still feel bad. I should know how to control myself better than that!"

"Yeah, but think of how boring that would be," Natsu retorted placing his other arm behind his head. Lucy was about to say something when Natsu continued, deciding that he wanted to change the subject.

"You know, for the record, you kinda looked like a real dragon out there." He had that huge grin of his spread from ear to ear.

Lucy wasn't quite sure if she was supposed to take that as a compliment or not. She thought back to what Luka looked like. She was a gorgeous dragon, but Lucy hardly thought that she looked like that, or was that that Natsu meant? She'd only ever seen one dragon in her whole life, and that was Luka.

"I'm not really sure what a real, all powerful Dragon Master is supposed to look like, but if I did, I bet you looked just like it," Natsu commented.

Lucy blushed slightly. He thought that she looked like a real Dragon Master? He actually complimented her on her skills with her magic? That was when she realized what he meant when he said she looked like a real dragon. When Natsu got serious in a fight, he often looked like a real fire dragon. It was always then that he was at his strongest.

"Thanks," Lucy replied softly, her blush still painting her face.

"Now we can start training for real!" the Fire Dragon Slayer suddenly shouted excitedly, pumping his fist in the air enthusiastically.

"Oh boy," Lucy muttered.

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**END NOTE: so how was it? I tried to make it seem like it would be a thing that would actually happen in the anime or manga. I had so much fun writing this chapter, and was laughing as I typed. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Again, you can check out my blog to hear about my trip to Cedar Point, an amusement park. I can tell you all about what happened with the beach ball in the line for the Maverick! Oh, and if you do read my blog, let me know please? I'd love to know who loves me enough to listen to my rambling. so bye until next time!**

**~Alice-chan ^_^**


	14. Short Story ch2

**AN/: Hey here's another installation of the short story I had started. I'm not really having a block right now, but I felt like writing this since I updated the actual story not too long ago. Again, just a short thing, a continuation from the other short story chapter. I'll call this Short Story ch.2! Enjoy!**

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"Did something happen?" Mira asked curiously with a knowing smile. She was up to something, Lucy just knew it. She always believed that she had great intuition. She would even say it was her legitimate sixth sense. It had saved her but a good number of times in the past, like when she jumped from that tower when she was captured by Phantom Lord. She'd known Natsu would be there to catch her. All hail her amazing intuition.

"Yeeesss…" Lucy replied hesitantly, narrowing her eyes at the barmaid. She didn't exactly need her intuition to tell her that the smile on Mirajane's face meant that she was up to something or that she knew something that Lucy didn't.

"No need to look at me like that," Mira said waving a hand in the air. "So, what happened?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Uh, Natsu set my stove on fire then said that he'd take care of it," Lucy said, still a little scared by how cheery the white-haired mage was being.

Mira giggled.

"Oh boy, Lucy, you must be terribly overworked," Mira said with a cheeky smile.

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked obliviously. Mira raised an eyebrow at her.

"You thought it was a good idea to let Natsu, _Natsu_, take care of a stove that was on _fire_, and then leave him there _alone_?" she asked slightly amused by how wide the blonde's eyes were getting with each word she said.

"What have I DONE!" Lucy screamed as she darted out of the guild and back to her apartment. She couldn't believe that she'd just left him there alone with Happy because Natsu told her to.

'Dang, I really must be overworked!' Lucy thought. 'I need a vacation.' Lucy let out a long, frustrated sigh as she ran back to her apartment that was probably in mortal danger.

She darted down the street and found her way to the front door of her home. Nothing smelled like it was burning, very curious.

Lucy fumbled with the door knob and finally turned it, gaining herself entry. She rushed into her kitchen to find Natsu doing something that she didn't even know he knew how to do.

Squeak, squeak, squeak. Splash!

"Are- are you… _doing my dishes_?" she asked amazed. Her kitchen was practically sparkling. She could see her reflection in the floor, for crying out loud!

"Yeah," Natsu said with a big, bright smile. "I figured that I cause you so much stress, or at least that's what Mira said, that I should do something for you," he said brightly, his smile never leaving his face.

Lucy jaw was still being affected by gravity, hanging open in disbelief.

"You know how to clean?"

Natsu chuckled. Lucy sounded kind of silly. Of course he knew how to clean; he just didn't like doing it.

"Yeah, you've been working so hard lately. I've missed you," Natsu said sadly. His cheerful smile fell from his face and shifted into a frown. "You're never around anymore."

Lucy felt like she was going to cry. He cared about her so much that he wanted to give her time to rest. He cleaned her kitchen for her and even said he missed her. Strangely, something seemed different about Natsu. But, it wasn't a bad thing. He was still the same Natsu she knew, but there was something different, even if it was oh so subtle.

"Hey, where's Happy?" Lucy asked, noticing that the little, blue feline wasn't there making ridiculous comments like he usually would.

"Oh, he said cleaning was boring so he left. I think he went to the guild," the pink-haired Dragon Slayer said, the smile returning to his face.

There it was again, that feeling that someone knew something that she didn't. She wondered what it was. It didn't seem like it was a bad thing, but yet again, it was Fairy Tail she was talking about. And Fairy Tail was rather… unpredictable.

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**END NOTE: there you go! Hey, tell me something. If I were to make this it's own story, would you read it? I've been thinking about making this it's own story and possibly making it a little bit longer, like a full length story. Maybe...! So what do you guys think? **

**Oh, if you are looking for another really good story to read, if you're not already reading it, check out Vanilla Starlight by Blueninjamanga22. It's an amazing story that I have absolutely fallen in love with! **

**bye for now!**

**~Alice-chan**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN/: hey here's the latest chapter for you guys. I put a LOT of thought into this chapter. I just wish I could have made it longer and still left you guys with a good question in your minds. This chapter might get a little confusing, so just hang in there with me. I'll explain to you if you really REALLY can't take the torture. anyways, enjoy!**

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"Come on, Lucy! You gotta keep up!" Natsu shouted back at the blonde. Whoever thought that running in circles around the city of Magnolia was a good idea should get a nice, hard smack in the back of the head!

Lucy and Natsu were in another "training session" and Lucy didn't know if she was going to make it. Natsu had them run from the guild to every other part of Magnolia in one day. They had to hit pretty much every nook and cranny before they were allowed to head back to the guild or Lucy's apartment. Lucy much rather preferred her apartment, but kept her mouth shut. She didn't want any extra laps added on for the day.

When Natsu had said that they could start training for real, she had no idea what he would have in store for her. Apparently, training for real meant running around until your feet were bloody stumps and your lungs felt like they were burnt to a crisp.

The poor, blonde mage used every ounce of her energy to keep up with the Fire Dragon Slayer as he led her through back yards and through crowds of unsuspecting picnickers trying to enjoy a meal in the comfort of their back yard.

"Sorry," we would yell as we hopped over their tables and chairs. Natsu would occasionally swipe some food from a table or two, but he kept running.

'Where the hell does he get all this energy?' Lucy thought, irritated and tired. It was one of the few things she could think. Every other thought was focused on breathing and moving her feet.

'Breathe, Lucy! In… Out… Come on! Don't quit now!'

They were almost done for the day. At least, that's what Natsu had said. He led her back to her apartment, but Lucy couldn't even make it inside the building. She was exhausted and numb. Her lungs ached each time she drew in a breath, causing her to take in only short and shallow swallows of air, which probably wasn't helping much either. Her lungs ached for the oxygen they desperately needed.

Lucy had slowed down to a zombie-like trudge.

"So… close…" she choked out as they got closer to her apartment. Natsu watched her from her doorstep, waiting almost impatiently for his student to join him.

It ached, it burned and throbbed. What exactly it was that was feeling like that, Lucy couldn't tell. It all hurt, all over and everywhere. Her stomach was doing twists and turns, flipping like an acrobat in a circus. She didn't feel too good. Her legs felt like soft jelly, yet they were so still and sore. She was so close to the door; so close to being done for the day. But, she couldn't make those last few feet.

"So… close." Lucy dropped to her knees and stretched an arm out in the direction of her home. "Can't… breathe… lungs… pain…" she choked out between gasps. Her vision was blurring, and black dots clouded everything she saw.

Lucy knew she'd hit her physical limit long ago, a few hours ago, to be more exact. She should have told Natsu that she couldn't take any more of the strain on her lungs and feet, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words. It was because she wanted him to be proud. That's all she'd ever wanted, even from a young age. To be praised.

Black. That was the last thing Lucy was before she slid into unconsciousness, her mind only understanding the safety and comfort the darkness gave her. She didn't understand that she'd collapsed in the middle of a street and her mind didn't register the strong arms that lifted her from the ground.

Natsu lifted her gently, worry and disappointment on his features. He wasn't disappointed in her because she didn't make it all the way to the door, no, he was disappointed in how far she _had _made it. He knew she'd hit her limit within the first two hours of running, yet she didn't say anything. She had pushed herself to the point of blacking out.

When one pushes themselves to the point that they vomit, they've pushed themselves too hard. But, when one pushes themselves to the point where they skip the vomiting altogether and just black out, then they've pushed themselves way too far and worked their body way too hard.

It was a stupid thing to do, to work herself as hard as that, which left Natsu with a single question.

"Why'd you keep going?" he wondered aloud. He carried her into her house and into her room, carefully placing her on the bed. Boy would she be sore when she woke up! Natsu could visibly see the strain she'd put on herself.

He shook his head and sighed, walking to the kitchen to fetch an icepack to keep Lucy cool. Returning, he sat on the edge of the bed and placed the ice on her forehead.

'Maybe using the techniques Igneel used with me isn't the best idea,' he suggested to himself. The techniques worked for him, and they did work in his opinion, but Lucy was… she just looked so fragile lying there like that. He figured that Lucy would let him know when she couldn't run any more, when she'd hit her limit. He didn't think she'd try and stick it out until they were done.

"Why did you have to push yourself so hard?" he asked, gently moving a strand of her golden yellow hair from her face.

Lucy slept and dreamt, but it wasn't like any dream she'd ever had. It was like she'd been sucked into herself; her entire existence compacted and locked up in the dark cavern of her mind.

"_Why did you have to push yourself so hard?" _a familiar voice echoed through the blackness.

'Why? Well to show that I could handle it, to make you proud of course.' Wasn't it the most obvious thing in the world?

All her life, all Lucy ever wanted was for someone she cared about to be proud of her. She wanted to be praised for doing something right. She wanted to know that feeling when someone shouted, "I know her" with pride. She tried so hard to make her father proud of her, studying every book her tutors pushed at her, being on her best behavior whenever he allowed her to leave the estate with him.

She knew the feeling once before. The words of praise that she so desired, they always came from her mother. But, her mother wasn't there anymore and she always felt that it was somehow her fault. She vowed that she would make it up to her father; she would become someone that he could be proud of. He would tell his friends one day, "Look at her. That's _my _daughter." She craved his love and affection that had lessened considerably since her mother had passed. But as she grew older, her father's heart continued to grow colder and colder. She no longer wanted that man to be proud of her.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. She wanted him to be proud, but not because she could make him richer. She wanted him to be proud of her for who she was and not the amount of money she was able to bring in.

'_I guess that since I'd given up on my father, I looked for someone else.' _The words echoed through her mind. Her thoughts voiced themselves and she thought them, the words imprinting on her mind like her pen pressing the words into her diary.

'_I found Master Makarov and the rest of the Fairy Tail guild. I found my team: Natsu, Gray, Happy and Erza. I found all of my friends at Fairy Tail. I can't make my father proud, so instead, I'll make them proud.'_

Sometimes, she felt that she was too weak to be on the same team as Natsu, Erza and Gray. She had thought that many times. She was usually the one being protected, the weak one that depended on her team mates. That gave her all the more reason to make them proud. She didn't want to be a burden on them. She wanted to help them as they had helped her in the past.

She wanted to hear those words, no, she craved them. She never _tried _to look down on herself, but she always compared herself to those around her. She didn't want to be better than them, she didn't want to make _herself_ proud… she wanted to make _others _proud. She wanted to hear those words. It didn't need to be a speech. It could be as little as three words and she'd be happy.

'I'm so proud.' That's all she wanted to hear.

Natsu was a bit tired himself. When he trained, even if he was training someone else, he trained himself as well. He'd pushed himself quite hard too, and Lucy's bed looked so inviting.

He crawled over Lucy and let himself lay back onto the comforter. Lucy's scent filled his nose. Natsu loved that scent.

He turned to lie on his side and watched the beautiful blonde sleep. He had her for the rest of the week, all to himself, for training, that is. Gray and Erza had been asked to go on a small mission to help with the construction of a new building, leaving him and Lucy behind. He'd reluctantly asked Juvia if she wanted to steal Lucy away for training with her water magic, but Juvia was a bit preoccupied. Gray had left and she'd started up with the waterworks, crying about how she missed her beloved "Gray-sama".

Natsu soon drifted off into a light sleep, unknowingly pulling himself closer and closer to the girl beside him. He was content the way he was, basking in such a glorious scent next to such a beautiful woman; next to his best friend, someone he cared for only slightly more than he cared for his other nakama. Lucy was somehow special, different from the others.

**~Luka~**

Luka lay in her clearing, the mid-day sun reflecting off of her scales, the light bouncing off and creating a rainbow in the most of the small waterfall. She felt somewhat conflicted, but the emotion wasn't hers. It was Lucy's. The poor girl, she was too hard on herself sometimes.

Luka had only met her master once, but she felt as if she knew Lucy better than anyone else, including that pink-haired best friend of hers. Being connected to her master, Luka felt every emotion Lucy felt, understood every thought Lucy had, and learned almost everything about Lucy without the mage even knowing.

She yearned to see her master again. Dragons were like pets, and their masters were their owners. Luka missed her owner. The Elemental Dragon was still young. She was only 200 years old, and for a dragon, that's still young. Dragons lived much, much longer than humans, so 200 years for humans was like two years for dragons. Like a dog, being two meant that she wasn't really a child anymore, but she still wasn't as mature as the much older dragons. She missed her master.

Luka let her head rest on her front legs. She wanted to be able to teach her master things as well. Things that Lucy needed to know, like how to properly command her dragon and how to use the combo attack spells, combining Luka's magic with her own.

Lucy wouldn't forget about her, would she? There was a possibility that she could, but Luka didn't know if she actually did. She knew every thought that Lucy had, but just because one doesn't think about a certain topic, doesn't mean that they've forgotten about it.

Luka understood that Lucy had a lot on her mind. From training physically and magically, to trying to sort through her thoughts and feelings about her best friend, Natsu, the young Dragon Master barely had enough room in her mind left to consider her necessities. Lucy felt like she was going to crack and crumble into dust, and Luka knew that. But, she couldn't let her master do that.

There was an ominous, foreboding feeling that sat in the pit of her stomach. If Lucy gave up, _they _would know. If she gave up, _they _would kill her. It would be like _they _were committing suicide. Lucy was the last hope for her home, Leafre, and everyone who resided there. Her master was the last beacon of hopeful light for the dragons. If Lucy gave up, not only would _they _die, but so would the rest of her race.

"_Master, don't give up on yourself," _Luka thought, sending her words to her master. _"There are too many lives at stake for you to give up!" _

Luka hoped that she wouldn't have to explain too much to Lucy. She didn't want her dear master to be pulled further into the dark world that already had her in its clutches, but she knew that eventually, she would have to. Leafre, as of late, had become a dark, dangerous, and unforgiving place. Lucy had an enormous role in the world of the dragons, but Luka wasn't sure if her master was willing to accept that role yet.

She felt like time was running short as her beloved home continued to fall under _their _dark control. Sinking, deeper and deeper, Leafre was no longer a safe haven for her race as it had once been.

"_Only you can save us, our princess, Natsuko-sama." _Luka thought to herself. For her race's sake, their princess couldn't give up.

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**END NOTE: how was it? Amazing? Terrible? Best thing you ever read in your life? LOL If it got confusing, I'm sorry. You might be wondering who _they _are... you'll just have to find out, now won't you. *mischievous evil grin* This is where the main plot starts. It's a pretty damn- I mean darn- good start if I do say so myself. What do you think? **

**BTW Natsuko means _one thousand summers_. I couldn't resist the urge to use that name! You know, what with Natsu being in the story and all. XD I am just slightly insane, aren't I? Well, until next time..._  
_**

**~Alice-chan**


	16. Chapter 16

**AN/: Hey here's the latest chapter! Sorry it's short, I just wanted to make sure you guys would come back for more :) . Anyways, I posted another story... :( I am ashamed. I have so many stories going on already, but I COULDN'T HELP IT! GOMEN! anyways, enjoy!**

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"_Master, don't' give up on yourself. There are too many lives at stake for you to give up!" _Luka's words echoed through the cavern of Lucy's mind. Those were definitely the words of her dragon. She knew it; she felt it in her gut.

Lucy jumped awake.

THWACK!

"Oh crap!" Natsu exclaimed, his hands flying up to his nose.

"Natsu?" Lucy shouted, confused and scared. "Are- are you okay?" she questioned worriedly.

"Am… am I bleeding?" he said to himself quietly.

After checking his hands for signs of blood, and them coming away clean, he turned to his favorite mage.

"I'll be fine, you just scared me is all," Natsu laughed. "That was quite a jump you did there. Did you have a nightmare or something?" he asked with genuine concern.

She shook her head.

"No, it was just Luka," she said as she stifled a yawn. "She kind of spoke to me through my thoughts and it startled me." She gave her best friend a bright smile.

"Luka?" Natsu sat and thought for a few seconds before his memory hit him. "Oh, your dragon!" Natsu shouted in realization. Lucy nodded at him with a smile. He could be so cute at times.

"That is so… cool!" Natsu shouted in excitement. "She talked to you through your thoughts!"

Lucy laughed nervously. Oddly enough, it seemed pretty normal to her, but Natsu was all excited about it.

"Yeah, she did," Lucy said. Natsu smiled and crossed his legs, sitting crisscross on the bed, resting his head in his palms and looking up at her, his eyes sparkling with interest.

"What did she say?" he asked. Lucy thought for a second. If she told him what Luka had actually said, wouldn't he be, oh, I don't know, worried?

"She just misses me," Lucy said laughing lightly. It wasn't a lie; she sensed that her dragon missed her.

"Didn't you say that when you got the hang of your magic, that you'd call her, or summon her, or whatever, so that she could train with you?" Natsu asked. Lucy perked up.

"Yeah, I did!" How had she managed to let that slip from her mind? She felt kind of bad about it, forgetting like that. What a terrible master she was!

"Hey, why don't we call her out tomorrow? We could all train together!" The Fire Dragon Slayer suggested. Lucy grinned.

"That's a brilliant idea!" the blonde exclaimed, excitement clearly showing in her voice.

'_Luka, did you hear? I'm gonna see you tomorrow!' _Lucy thought to Luka excitedly. Luka was just as excited as Lucy was.

'_Natsu's coming too?' _Luka asked, sounding like an excited little kid. Lucy replied with an enthusiastic 'yep' and sighed contentedly. She looked back at Natsu… wait, why was he there in the first place? Shouldn't he have gone home?

"Wait…" Lucy narrowed her eyes at the pink-haired teen. "Why are you in my house?" she asked slowly and angrily. She began to stand, getting off of her bed. She winced at the pain that shot through her and fell back onto the bed, gritting her teeth as another sharp stab of pain shot through her. She managed to get herself into a sitting position.

"Well, we had training this morning, and you kind of passed out not even five feet away from the door to this building," Natsu answered nervously. "Lucy," he began, "you really had me worried," he said, his tone taking on a sense of seriousness and disappointment.

"I know I passed out, but why are you in my house?" Lucy asked trying to avoid his last statement. She would have gotten up and kicked his ass out, but oh god, she couldn't move a muscle.

"I carried you inside and took care of you. Usually, when someone works themselves too hard, they throw up and _then _pass out. You just dropped, Lucy!" Natsu folded his arms over his slightly exposed chest and huffed in annoyance.

Lucy just stared at him. Disappointment showed in his eyes, and Lucy felt like the look he was giving her was shooting her down, accusing her and scolding her.

'That- that's not what I wanted! No, that's the exact _opposite _of what I wanted to happen!' Lucy's thoughts screamed in what seemed to be agony. 'Be proud! Not disappointed! Please!' she cried inwardly. She thought she felt a tear run down her cheek and she quickly turned her head away, though she was sure that Natsu would know that she was crying. She herself could smell the salty drops that ran down her cheek. Even that small action hurt her.

Lucy knew that he was upset because she'd overworked herself, but couldn't he have done something else? He could laugh at her for lying in the street, call her a weirdo for pushing herself too hard, tease her, call her names… anything! He could do anything else to her, and she'd be fine. Anything but be disappointed.

Lucy wanted to have that feeling of being praised. She craved that feeling, just like her father craved money. The only difference was that her father had gotten the money he wanted. Lucy was still fighting for what she craved, and it seemed that everything she did was doing the exact opposite of what she wanted to happen.

More tears ran down her cheek.

"L-Lucy," Natsu said softly reaching a hand out to her. More worry washed over him. Why was she crying? Did he do something or say something wrong? If she was mad, she could punch him in the face or something. Hell, that's what she usually did, so he was used to it anyways, but she didn't have to cry.

He cautiously let his hand rest on the top of her head. Her hair was so soft and silky. His hand slid down her hair and his fingers ran through the fine, golden strands.

"W-what's wrong?" he asked his voice quiet and gentle. He got up onto his knees, moving himself closer to Lucy, and leaned to the side so that he could see her face while his hand continued to stroke her blonde locks. His hand ended up falling onto her back, and it rested there.

Lucy felt herself calm down as her friend ran his hand through her hair soothingly. She heard the worry in his voice. She couldn't cry in front of him, it would worry him too much! That's what he did for his nakama. He'd find out what upset them and then he go out and kick some ass. That was pretty much the "Natsu Way".

"Lucy?" Natsu said again. She turned her head to find him leaning over her shoulder looking down at her with concerned eyes. The feel of his hot breath on her skin sent a shiver down her spine. She shifted to face him and she could hear her heart beating loud.

'Stupid noisy organ!' she thought as she turned her face away from him again to hide the blush that was creeping across her face.

Natsu moved his hand from her back to the top of her should. He hated seeing her cry. He wanted to know what was wrong. If he made a mistake, he wanted to fix it. She had turned her face away from him again, so he leaned in closer to her, bringing his head down to the point where his forehead was almost touching hers.

"Lucy," he said yet again in an attempt to get her attention.

Lucy shifted her gaze to meet his. Her heart began to beat louder. He was _so _close to her.

'Shut up you stupid organ!' she screamed inwardly. Why did her heart have to be so loud? Stupid heart! Stupid Natsu! Did he have any idea what, him being so close, was doing to her?

Her breathing quickened and she lifted a hand to let it rest on his chest, her other hand gripping his shoulder tightly. Cautiously, she leaned forward just enough to close the space between their foreheads.

'I must be crazy!' Lucy thought as she ever so slightly leaned forward again. 'I have to be crazy to be thinking thoughts like that.'

She never took her eyes off of his, which is probably why Lucy didn't notice that their lips were just inches apart. She could hear his heart beating wildly with her own, and his breathing had also picked up its pace. A blush had found its way onto his cheeks, and it made him look absolutely adorable. So adorable, in fact, that it should've been a crime to look so adorable.

They were so close. All they had to do was remove those few lousy inches from between them.

So close.

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**END NOTE: CLIFFHANGER! ...Don't kill me! *shields self with puppy* You guys wouldn't hurt a puppy, right? I had to end it there. I just couldn't resist the urge to do it. I am SO SORRY! But, if you guys leave me a ton of reviews, I'll update the next chapter VERY VERY soon! oooo an incentive! I hope you guys liked it. REVIEW! oh and check out my other story that I posted :) BYE!**

**~Alice-chan**


	17. Chapter 17

__**AN/: Hey I am updating because, well, I sure did get enough review... scary, traumatizing reviews... LOL jk but I have something to say to you guys. *smirks and puts hands on hips* First of all, Samrit! You won't be needing to send Erza and Mira over here, so don't even think about it! ilovenatsu1000, don't you think that fighting with your fellow guild mates is something that should be frowned upon? Shame on you! Now to deal with you, Miu! I'm not hiding, I'm standing right here! And you brought a wooden club to a fight between you and a Fairy Tail mage such as myself? You want me to face you like a mage, then so be it! *ELEMENTAL DRAGON ROAR!* *dusts off hands* hmph. That enough for you? LOL**

**I'm just messing around you guys, but I do officially declare myself the Elemental Dragon Master of the Fairy Tail Guild! X3 Anyways, some of you guys were pretty harsh with the reviews. I just wanted to leave you with something that would make you crave the next chapter. As a writer, I want people to stay interested in my stories. So sorry for all you readers out there that were on the verge of giggling like little girls. here's what you've been waiting a whole day for. Sorry it's short, but I promised an update if i got a ton of reviews, so here it is. Thank you to all of you who did review (whether they were terrifying or not). ENJOY!**

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_They were so close. All they had to do was remove those few lousy inches from between them._

_So close._

* * *

They were so close. Lucy heart pounded in her chest and she could hear Natsu's heartbeat pumping at the speed of her own heart. Did he want it to? Did he want to close the gap between them as well? She couldn't tell for sure what he was feeling, but his racing heartbeat and quickened breathing told that he was indeed feeling _something_.

Reality sunk in.

She was close to him. _Really _close. She pulled back slightly.

'What was I thinking? I can't just kiss my best friend!' Lucy screamed at herself.

'_Yes you can,' _a familiar voice sounded in her mind. _'Just admit it to yourself, Lucy. You love him.'_

'I… I don't know if I love him,' she almost whined. 'But, Luka, if I kiss him he might hate me!'

'_No he won't. Lucy, you know he's not like that.' _Lukasighed_. 'Come ON! Do it, do it, do it!' _she chanted.

Lucy tried not to giggle. On the inside, she was having a conversation with her dragon. But, on the outside, her expression hadn't changed at all. Silly Luka, she was like a little kid. She wanted to kiss Natsu. Every fiber of her being told her to kiss the boy that sat in front of her, but her mind was screaming yes and no. Her conscious screamed 'no' while her all too excited dragon was screamed 'yes'.

She felt like she needed time to think; felt like she needed to get away for just a moment. Would she get another chance like that though? Surely she would, right? She and Natsu were best friends; they were together almost every second of the day.

Natsu stared into her eyes. She might not have seen what emotion was in his, but he knew what he saw in hers. As a Dragon Slayer, he had heightened senses. Lucy did too, now, but she probably wasn't used to them like Natsu was to his. She couldn't sense the aura of anxiety and hope that clouded around him. She couldn't tell that the look in his eyes were of hope.

She just stared at him, and it was making him nervous. What was she thinking about? What was _he _thinking? He mentally slapped himself.

'You can't just go around thinking about kissing your best friend!' Why _was_ he thinking about kissing her? He'd never truly thought about his feelings for Lucy, or whether he had any for her at all, really. He was never quite sure what to make of the feelings he _did_ feel when he thought about it.

'Maybe… maybe, if I kiss her, I'll know,' Natsu thought. 'I'll know for sure.'

Lucy blinked at him.

"I… uh, sor-" Lucy stuttered, but Natsu was getting closer and it caught her off guard. He placed his hand over the hand that Lucy had resting on his chest.

He looked down at her with half-lidded eyes. He was nervous. He was beyond nervous. The feeling that swirled in his stomach made riding a train look like a kitten playing with a ball of yarn.

His other hand touched her cheek gently as he slowly continued to get closer, his eyes sliding closed.

"N-Natsu," Lucy breathed out in question. Natsu stopped briefly and hushed her.

"Lucy… Please, just…" He let out a shaky breath. "Just… let me do this. Just this once," he whispered softly, holding her hand closer to his chest.

He closed the space between them, gently pressing his lips to hers. The feeling was amazing. It made him feel light, weightless, like he could fly. Her lips were warm and soft, and the feeling made his heart pound quick and hard in his chest. He was almost one-hundred percent certain that Lucy could feel and hear the beating of his heart, but he didn't care. How could he? At that moment, he didn't have a care in the world!

Lucy's eyes were wide at first. Natsu kissed her. No, correction, Natsu was kissing her right now! _He_ waskissing _her_! It made her feel dizzy, but she loved the feeling.

"_Just… let me do this. Just this once," _Natsu had said. Lucy realized that he was talking about kissing her. Let him kiss her, just this once.

'Once? Why only just once? Maybe he just wanted to know what it felt like,' Lucy thought. Even so, she didn't mind if he was just experimenting. She liked it; it made her feel like she could conquer the entire world, rebuild it all, and still have enough energy to conquer it all over again in the end.

Her eyes had fluttered shut as she ever so slightly pressed her lips against his in return. Her heart was beating so fast, she couldn't think of anything to compare the speed of her heart with.

Lucy knew that she had some feelings for the pink-haired idiot, but even so, they were nakama. She still couldn't believe how right it all felt at that moment. There, with him, his lips holding hers captive… it all felt so perfect.

Natsu pulled away and almost regretted doing such an action. He couldn't feel the heat of her lips on his, and he missed it already. He felt flushed, light-headed, and breathless. He almost laughed at himself. How could he feel so conflicted about pulling away from the kiss? He mourned the absence of Lucy's soft lips, yet he thanked the lord that he'd pulled away when he did.

One simple kiss, about eight seconds long, and it had taken all of his breath away, leaving him panting. Had he not broken away when he did, he probably would have passed out from lack of oxygen. His cheeks, no doubt, were painted with a red blush. He could feel the heat on his face.

It was funny thinking about how he felt hot. Usually, he couldn't tell the difference between hot and cold, because he was never affected by the weather. Feeling the cold he could possibly understand, but heat? He was a fire mage, a Fire Dragon Slayer, he ate fire for crying out loud, and here he was feeling heat that rushed to his cheeks.

They both opened their eyes slowly, taking in each other's expressions. Lucy looked flustered, blushing madly when her best friend's eyes locked on hers. Natsu could hear Lucy's heart beating violently and tried not to smile.

'So she felt something too,' Natsu concluded. Now, all that was really left was to sort through everything that was jumbled up in his head.

A realization hit him and he pulled away from Lucy in a panic.

"I, uh, I'm sorry! I… I don't really know wh-what I was thinking!" Natsu stuttered breathlessly. It was finally sinking in. He'd kissed Lucy. He _kissed her_! He'd kissed his best friend without really letting her decide if she wanted to be kissed.

'Oh, god! What if I just ruined our friendship?' his thought screamed.

Lucy was a little startled when Natsu suddenly jerked away from her apologizing. As if on cue, the realization of what had happened hit her. He kissed her! Of course, she'd realized that only moments ago, but what really hit her was the fact that she'd kissed him back. Even being as subtle as it was, she'd kissed him back. Another realization hit her.

That was her first kiss. Natsu had stolen her first kiss. Not that she particularly minded that, it was just so unbelievable.

"Um, it's okay," Lucy said nervously, scratching the back of her head. What should she do! "It's, uh, no big deal, 'kay?" she continued giving him the most reassuring smile she could muster.

Natsu looked like he kind of sank at hearing her words.

"Hey, I'm going to go take a bath," she laughed lightly. "You know, it's been a long day and all." She slowly began to get up, wincing at the pain.

She finally got to her feet.

"Oh, god, I hurt all over the place!" she muttered to no one in particular. Before heading off to the bathroom, she shot a glance back at Natsu. He looked… sad, almost like he'd been rejected. She frowned. His smile was gone, and she didn't like that.

Without thinking, she leaned back down and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Thank you, by the way, for helping me earlier," she muttered quietly then turned to head into her bathroom, grabbing a towel on the way there.

Natsu blushed again.

'Why are women so damn confusing?' he growled to himself. First, Lucy had kissed him back. Then, she said it was no big deal, and the icing on the cake was a kiss on the cheek. Sorting through all those feeling would be more difficult that he thought.

The fire mage blew out a breath of air and flopped onto his back. Lucy was definitely right; it had been one hell of a long day. He decided he'd keep what happened to himself until he was sure of what he felt for Lucy, only he had no idea how long that would take.

"Guess I better start figuring it out now, then," Natsu muttered quietly. It was going to be a really long week.

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**END NOTE: I promised an update, so there you have it, even though it's short. I hope you giggled like little girls and squealed like crazy fangirls. In other words, I hope you loved it. so, you DON'T have to kill me! YAY i get to liiive! *sighs contentedly* I wonder how this whole situation is gonna affect the way training goes with Luka, Lucy, and Natsu... *giggles* You'll just have to find out, now won't you? X3 I love my OC Luka! BYE**

**~Alice-chan**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN/: Hey here is the 18th chapter of The Dragon Master. According to the poll on my profile page, this is my most popular story. Thank you to all of you who review and read faithfully. I love you all *kisses! kisses!* I tried to make this chapter quite a bit longer to make up for the short chapters, but I highly doubt you guys care, since the last chapter was easily the best chapter in my entire story! Am I right? anyways, enough of my mouth, you're here for the story... SO ENJOY IT! **

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**~The Next Day~**

Lucy walked into the guild silently. She didn't find Natsu in her bed that morning, which was a good thing, she supposed. After what had happened, her brain felt fried. She just wanted to get some breakfast and head out for training. She couldn't seem to explain why she wanted to see the pink-haired idiot so much, but she wanted to see him. Breakfast sounded really good at the moment though, but she knew she'd have to go to the guild for that because of a lovely little note she'd found on her desk the night before.

**~~flashback~~**

_Went fishing with Happy. Meet you at the guild tomorrow.  
-Natsu  
P.S. I ate all your food. Sorry!_

_Lucy found the note on her desk. She'd just gotten out of her bath and didn't really know whether or not to expect to find Natsu still in her home. Upon reading the note, she quickly rushed to her kitchen. Sure enough, her cabinets were empty, the fridge was wiped clean, and the freezer barely had anything in it at all. The only things that survived were her bags of frozen vegetables. _

_Lucy left her kitchen and let out a long sigh. So much had happened and she just wanted to sleep it off. The fact that her kitchen was now bare of food irritated her, but hey, at least the idiot let her know, right? She wondered if the new action had anything to do with their kiss, but that made her think too hard. She didn't want to think, she wanted to sleep. _

**~~end~~**

The blonde walked across the room and sat in her usual seat at the bar.

"Hey, Mira, have you seen Natsu?" she asked the barmaid. Mira looked up from the cup that she was drying.

"No, I haven't," she answered.

Lucy nodded slowly, keeping calm on the outside. Truly, she was freaking out. Natsu wasn't there and that almost scared her. She had resolved to talk to her fire loving best friend about what had happened between them, but she didn't know when that time would be. She did know, however, that the first thing she needed to do was find the pyro.

Why wasn't he there? Did he decide to avoid her? Lucy had so many terrible scenarios running through her head that she didn't notice when a certain pink-haired friend snuck up behind her.

He snuck up and saw Mira's eyes sparkling. He quickly put a finger up to his lips, signaling her to keep quiet about his presence. Looking back at Lucy, he stifled a chuckle. She looked so deep in thought, and he wondered if it was him that she was thinking about. He felt a smile crawl onto his lips at the thought.

He crept up slowly and quietly. Quickly, he placed his hands over her eyes and she jumped in surprise.

"Guess who," he said with a small laugh and a bright smile on his face. He thought things would've been so awkward between them, but he couldn't help but feel so happy around her, especially with the memory of the day before.

"N-Natsu?" Lucy guessed. Natsu pulled his hands away and Lucy spun around to face him.

"How'd you know?" he asked with his signature smile on his face.

"I'd know you anywhere, you idiot," she said playfully, smiling and laughing along with her friend.

Mira smiled at the exchange between the two. She wouldn't squeal this time, she would simply appreciate it. It was always so heartwarming when she saw a potential couple acting sweet, saying things like what Lucy had just said. Seeing the two get along so well always took her breath away, and moments like that were what made life worth living. Interrupting something like that would simply be unforgivable.

"So, we're training with Luka today?" Natsu asked excitedly. Lucy nodded with a smile. It was so easy to go on like nothing had happened, it was almost perfect. She felt like she could stand up in front of the guild and shout out 'I kissed Natsu Dragneel' without a care in the world. Of course she wouldn't actually do that, though.

"I'm so pumped for today!" Natsu shouted enthusiastically. "When are we leaving?" Natsu asked impatiently, whining like a little kid. Lucy laughed.

"Soon, I just want to get something to eat really quickly because _someone _ate all of my food… _again_!" She turned to face Mira.

"What'll it be?"

Lucy thought for a moment, and decided that she didn't really need anything too big. She just needed something to fill her up and keep her going.

"You said you're training with someone named Luka today?" Mira asked while Lucy thought about what she wanted to eat. Natsu answered.

"Yeah, she's Lucy's dragon!"

"Dragon?" Mira repeated to ensure that's she'd heard correctly. Natsu nodded in reply and a smile grew on Mira's face. Training with a dragon would be tough, right? So, Lucy would need something that could get her through the day.

"You're training with a dragon, huh?" Mira said, directing her voice at Lucy. "I have just the thing you'll need for today," Mira chirped happily and then skipped into the kitchen.

Natsu sat down next to Lucy and leaned against the bar counter. Lucy watched him as he took in a deep breath. They needed to talk, but did he know that? Did he run off and tell people about the kiss they'd shared? Lucy laughed inwardly. He probably told Happy, and she was just waiting for that stupid cat to fly in and made fun of them. Where was Happy anyways?

"Happy went with Wendy and Charle on a mission, so it'll just be me and you training," Natsu said almost as if he'd read her mind. Lucy nodded and swallowed hard. "Don't worry, I didn't tell Happy," he said with a knowing smile. Lucy felt a wave of relief wash over her. If he didn't tell Happy, he didn't tell anyone else, and that was something that Lucy felt very certain of.

It was silent between them for another short moment before Natsu broke the silence.

"We have to talk about yesterday, don't we?" he asked trying to keep his voice emotionless.

"Yeah," Lucy answered. "But, not right now," she said seriously. Natsu nodded in agreement.

Mira came back with a small plate of cheesy, scrambled eggs and some fruit.

"Here you go, Lucy. This should keep you going for a long while; these fruits have a magic that boosts the body's energy and strength naturally," the white-haired woman said with a bright smile.

Lucy thanked her friend for the meal and began eating, smacking away Natsu's grabby fingers each time he tried to pick off of her plate.

"Mine!" she snapped, slapping at his hand yet again.

Lucy managed to finish the rest of her meal, as in she saved it from the food-crazed Dragon Slayer.

"Oh, come on! I was just trying to help you eat it faster," Natsu exclaimed, finding his excuse very believable. Lucy snorted in reply.

"Yeah, right!"

"Fine, whatever, let's go now!" Natsu shouted impatiently. Darn, that kid was excited.

They left the guild and headed to town to find a means of transportation. They'd need to go back to the forest and meet up with Luka first, and Lucy knew that because the silly dragon wouldn't stop yelling about it.

"_Lucy! Luuuuucccyy! You're coming to the clearing, riiiiiiight?" _Luka asked, whining just as bad as Natsu was. Her now childish voice rang through her head and it was starting to give her a headache.

"_Yeeeessss! Luka, we're coming to the clearing! Gosh!" _ Lucy replied via her thoughts.

"_Oooooookaaaaay!" _Luka responded cheerfully.

"_Would you please stops doing that thing with your words?" _Lucy asked, slightly irritated with her dragon. _"You know, dragging them out. It's getting really annoying, Luka."_

"_AWWWWE! I don't want to stop, though. It's really fun," _Luka said with a giggle.

The conversation continued like that the entire way to the forest. Lucy couldn't even talk to Natsu on the way there. For one, he was a bit busy with his sickly green complexion. Plus, Lucy had somehow managed to gain herself a dark, threatening aura.

Lucy looked annoyed. With what, though, Natsu had no clue whatsoever. He just wanted to stay away from the scary, dark cloud around the scary blonde. He considered asking what was bothering her. That was, until she growled in annoyance for some unknown reason.

The ride to the forest seemed painfully, agonizingly, and unbearably long… and boring. Looking at the aggravate blonde, he suddenly felt a sense of self-preservation and decided it was best not to bug her. The only thing that kept Natsu busy was the fact that he felt like he was going to throw up every ten seconds.

After a long and painful period of suffering, which applied to both of them, the trip was coming to an end.

Natsu scrambled out of the carriage.

"Thank the Lord for solid, unmoving ground!" Natsu screamed joyously. Lucy came tumbling out after him, still irritated and reaching her limit.

"I am going to cry," Lucy whined in desperation. Natsu looked at his friend confused, which made since.

Lucy envied Natsu. At the moment, and all throughout the ride, she wanted to be Natsu instead of Lucy. He didn't have to hear what she was hearing.

"_Natsu's cooooooming! Lucy! You know I'm going to ask him aaaaaall about yesterday! I am going to teach you sooooo much today! Ha ha! I keep dragging out my words! Lucy, I'm so excited that I get to see you again. Can I teach Natsu a cool trick with fire magic? How long are you two planning on staying and training? When are you two going to start dating? Lucy! I have to tell you something! I forgot what I was going to say! NOOOOOO! How could I forge- oh, yeah, I remember now! I have a good place to go for lunch! Lucy! Oh my gosh, Lucy! ….. The sun is reflecting off of my scales! What do you want to start out with, fighting or basic dragon commands and things like that? Lucy, should we torture Natsu for kissing you without your permission. If you want, I'll eat him for you. One bite and he'll be gone! Lucy… Lucy!" _

They were finally coming up on the clearing.

"Luka, please stop!" Lucy pleaded desperately as they entered the clearing.

Luka's head shot up from its resting spot on her front legs.

"Lucy!" she called out excitedly, still sounding like a child. "Natsu!" she shouted with the same excited tone.

"Hiya, Luka!" Natsu greeted. "We haven't heard from you in a while," Natsu said casually and happily.

"NO! TOO MUCH! SHE WOULDN'T SHUT UP!" Lucy screamed, clutching her head in her hands.

"But, Lucy," Luka began, her voice dripping with confusion and sadness.

"Five minutes! Please!" Lucy pleaded, clasping her hands in front of her and dropping to her knees in front of her dragon. "Five minutes of silence, I beg of you, Luka."

Natsu looked at his best friend with utter confusion. He hadn't heard anything on the ride to the forest…

'Oh my god, she was hearing it through her thought,' Natsu realized. What was going on inside her head that was driving her _that _crazy? Lucy had looked a bit frazzled on the way there, and now Natsu realized what it was that was bothering her.

Natsu glared up at the young dragon, Luka glared back, and Lucy noticed.

"Natsu, don't stoop to her level! She's like two years old!"

Natsu gasped at her words and shot his gaze up at the beautiful creature in front of them. There was no way! Igneel was a lot older than two years old and was about the same size as Luka, so nothing made sense to him.

Luka sensed the confusion and lowered her head in shame. Amongst the dragons, she was still a little kid, but she was two hundred years old to the humans, and she was expected to act wise and mature. She could act like herself around her master, but not around others.

The minuets went by slowly to Luka and Natsu. Natsu had never been the type of person who liked silence; it reminded him of being alone, and he didn't like that. Luka, on the other hand, had an apology for her master, but her master wanted complete silence for five minutes. Luka would give Lucy the quiet she craved, because it was what her master had ordered her to do. Lucy didn't know it yet, but to forcibly command a dragon to do something, well, that was one of the things that Luka had planned on teaching Lucy that day.

The waterfall, birds chirping, the animals scurrying amongst the leaves on the forest floor, the heartbeats and breathing of the three in the clearing; those were the only things to be heard for five silent minutes.

Lucy was in absolute bliss, forgetting that anyone was actually there. The soothing sounds of nature around her calmed her, and she felt at peace. She felt confident and strong, powerful and in control. It was perfect.

"Master," Luka's voice sounded. Lucy frowned. Were her five minutes of peace up already? She wanted to demand five more minutes of peace, and she would have if it weren't for the sad and apologetic tone of Luka's voice.

"What is it, Luka?" Lucy asked emotionlessly. She hadn't realized it, but she had, at some point, stretched out on the bright, green grass. A breeze swept through the clearing and brushed across Lucy's cheeks lightly. Even without the silence, the clearing, her general surroundings, made her feel almost content.

"I am sorry for the way I acted earlier," Luka apologized. "To you humans, I am two hundred years old, not two, and I need to take into consideration the feelings of those around me." Luka bowed her head in respect.

Lucy knew how sincere her dragon was, and in understanding, she forgave Luka. That silly girl was just excited. Lucy couldn't really be mad about that, could she?

"You're TWO HUNDRED years old!" Natsu shouted in disbelief. Luka nodded.

"That's so cool!"

"Natsu, you think a lot of things are cool!" Lucy shouted humorously. The other two joined her in laughter until the sounds finally faded away.

"Lucy, are you ready for training?" Luka asked, becoming excited again.

"I am!" Natsu yelled, pumping a fist in the air. Lucy and Luka chuckled. Of course Natsu was excited; that wasn't something that was unexpected.

"I'm ready for this, Luka," Lucy responded with a smile. "What am I learning today?"

"That depends on what you want to do first. We could start with combat and magic training, or we could start with your basic dragon training," Luka explained calmly, acting more mature than she had earlier. Now, Natsu was no expert, nor did he actually hear what Luka was saying to Lucy earlier, but he knew that there had been a drastic change in her attitude and behavior.

"Bipolar much?" Natsu muttered under his breath. A growl ripped through the air.

"I heard that," Luka snarled dangerously. Natsu shrunk back only slightly and scowled. Sheesh, he knew it wasn't really the right thing to say, but did she really have to get all defensive like that?

"Whatever," Natsu said. "Let's start with combat and magic training!" Natsu suggested with a gleam in his eyes. Lucy shook her head and he pouted.

"I want to start with the basics. By doing this, I'll be able to perform better when it comes to my magic," Lucy stated proudly. Sometimes, she just loved having a dragon as a companion other than her usual team.

Natsu continued to pout. What was he supposed to do then? He couldn't command a dragon like Lucy could, which made her about ten times as cool as himself alone, but what was worse than that was that he'd be bored.

"You know, Natsu, there are a few tricks that I could teach you while I teach Lucy. In the sense of magic and techniques, Dragon Masters are simply stronger versions of Dragon Slayers," Luka said with a sparkling tone. "You could learn some techniques to make your attacks stronger and more affective."

Natsu's face lifted into his signature smile.

"You just read my mind!" he exclaimed happily. "You bet I'd like to learn some of those techniques!"

"Then it's settled. We'll start with the basics. Even so, we can't train here," Luka said, a hint of a smile on her features. "We'll be needing that key I gave you, Lucy."

"The key?" Lucy asked confused.

"The key," Luka confirmed.

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**END NOTE: I left you with a fun cliffy this time :) No death threats, right? I will never get over that you guys! I actually almost cried because of those! I thought you guys hated me sooo much! *bawls my eyes out* I'm a drama queen *stares blankly* and I'm funny! X3 I'm awesome... NOT! Well, I hope you liked the chapter. There was one of my beloved fans that got to read the chapter before I posted it, and they aren't my Beta... sorry. I won't give any names because I want to protect them. So, until next time my lovelies...**

**~Alice-chan**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN/: Hey here's the next chapter! I feel like this one is a bit overdue. What do you think? Oh yeah, and thank you to all of you who reviewed last time! Much appreciated! Anyways, this chapter really really REALLY picks up with the plot! I hope you absolutely love it, I know I loved writing it. Actually, I was listening to the song from the title screen of the first Kingdom Hearts game. I've never actually played the original game, but I got the DS downloads and a program to play them on, so I'll be playing Kingdom Hearts soon! YAY! Enjoy this chapter, I'm sure it will absolutely amaze you!**

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"_Ah, it seems as though she has decided to enter our realm," _a dragon said, it's voice deep and husky. He sat alone, watching his son from afar, gazing into a dazzling ball of fire. He wanted to be free as much as any of the other dragons, and he hadn't been banished into a desolate realm for nothing. He trained his son well, as was expected of him.

The dragon shifted, curling up into a more comfortable position. His fiery-red scales shimmered as the rays from the only source light reflected off of each scale. He continued to watch the images in the ball of fire, his flames being the only thing left that could light up the dark world in which he now resided.

He always watched over his son. He didn't want to leave him that day, but he had no choice when it all came down to it. He remembered the day it happened so well, even though, selfishly, he didn't want to.

~Flashback~

"_Igneel! Igneel, look!" a young boy with rosy-pink hair shouted at his adoptive father. The red, Fire Dragon looked down at the boy. He held a flame around his fist and grinned wildly up at the dragon. _

"_Yes, what is it Natsu?" the dragon asked amusedly. His foster son always tried to make him so proud. Little did the young boy know that he always made Igneel proud; every time he conjured a flame, each time he successfully preformed an attack while training. Eventually, Igneel began to feel proud of the boy each and every time he heard his laugh, or saw his smile. That boy meant more to him than anyone in any world could ever know. _

"_Watch this!" the young Dragon Slayer exclaimed, shifting his gaze from the dragon's eyes to a big boulder in their clearing where they stayed. _

"_Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" he shouted, launching himself into the air and at the boulder. His flaming fist made contact with the rock, crushing it into tiny pieces, leaving a small crater in its wake. Dust billowed out around the site of the impact, the specs carried away with the wind that blew across the clearing. _

"_Did you see? Did you see Igneel?" Natsu asked excitedly. He looked up at the dragon, his onyx eyes filled with hope and excitement. _

"_Yes," Igneel smiled warmly at his son. He lowered his head to the ground, closer to the boy he grown to adore so much. Natsu rushed to the dragon's face, throwing his small body across the dragon's snout._

"_I did it! I did it perfectly this time!" Natsu shouted with pride, laughing with joy as he hugged his father. _

"_Yes you did, Natsu. Yes you did." Igneel closed his eyes, enjoying the embrace of his son. "Natsu?" the Fire Dragon called out softly, getting the boy's attention. _

"_Yeah, dad?" he answered, hoisting himself up to sit on the dragon's snout._

"_I am… so proud of you," he said, his voice filled with love and pride. _

_Natsu's eyes sparkled, lit up with pure happiness. He hugged the dragon again. _

"_Igneel, I'm proud of you, too," Natsu said, his eyes closed in content, a blissful smile on his face. The dragon let out a soft chuckle. He could help but ask himself why Natsu would be proud of him. _

_The pink-haired Fire Dragon Slayer drifted off, snoring as he lay next to his father, the dragon's tail curled up around him protectively._

_Igneel looked down at his son's face. He looked so peaceful, so unaware of what was really going on. It was better that way though, wasn't it? He didn't want Natsu to worry, and he definitely didn't want to put him in harm's way. _

_The Fire Dragon sighed inwardly. That's exactly what he was doing though, putting his beloved foster son in harm's way. _

_He and a few of the other dragons had stayed in the human world for a while, and they knew that the Elders in Leafre weren't quite happy about that. However, they didn't seem to care. He, Grandine, Luka, and Metalicana knew what they were doing, why they were doing it, and how important it was for the future. His closest friend, Luka, was the only one who was waiting for the right time to make her move. _

_Igneel had a meeting with the other two dragons and he couldn't very well take Natsu with him. He let the boy sleep peacefully, so ignorant and happy. Carefully unwinding his tail from the boy's body he stepped away and silently took off. The sun was setting in the sky, and the orange glow made the dragon's scales flash like dazzling flames. He would make it back by morning; he would be there when his son woke up. _

_He met up with the other dragons; the Sky Dragon, Grandine, the Iron Dragon, Metalicana, and the Elemental Dragon, Luka. _

"_Igneel, I have grave news," Luka said as Igneel touched down onto the soft earth. The other three dragons stiffened in fear. Luka was a very powerful dragon, higher in status in their precious and fragile kingdom. Luka served the Royal Family, the Heartfilia's, up until the last Dragon Master disappeared. That was where they were now. _

"_The Queen, her presence and magic have disappeared," Luka said with a frown. "I'm… I'm afraid the Lady Layla has passed away," she said, sounding suffocated and dry. "We aren't safe in this world any longer."_

"_Well, the children aren't safe in Leafre either! And neither are we!" Grandine shouted. "What are we supposed to do? If the Lady Layla has died, then surely the Elder Dragons must know about it. This is their time to strike," she explained with fear and panic._

"_Grandine's right," Metalicana confirmed. "The Elder Dragons have been waiting for this for far too long; there's no way they'll continue to carry out Layla's orders now. They'll act as soon as they have the chance."_

"_But, they're still only just kids," Igneel countered. "Surely we could reason with the Elders," the Fire Dragon suggested. _

_Queen Layla had ordered the Elder Dragons to provide her with strong Dragon Slayers. It was shortly after her child was born when she had ordered the protection of her newborn baby girl. The Elder Dragons had grown weary of the way their kingdom was run. They had to live in their own realm, away from the humans, while a human ran their kingdom. They despised it more than anything and were strongly against the Queen's wishes. _

"_You know that they won't listen," the Elemental Dragon responded with sorrow. _

_The Elders didn't want their kingdom run by humans anymore, no matter how kind hearted they were. To them, it simply didn't seem right. The only reason they let the Queen and her daughter stay was because they were key to the dragons' survival. Without the magic of a Heartfilia present in the world, the magic of the dragons would slowly diminish. To the dragons, their magic was their life energy. If they lose it, they die. _

"_They'll let the princess live, but they won't keep her in Leafre," Grandine stated. "They'll send her to the human world, that way the dragons can continue to live."_

"_That's why you decided to go against the Elders' wishes and keep true to the Queen, isn't it?" Luka asked her face expressionless. "For ten years, you've kept your word, making sure that Princess Natsuko would have someone to protect her." Igneel nodded in response. He had been the one who decided to train the humans, the others had just agreed. _

"_I figured something like this might happen," Igneel said, his expression just as blank as Luka's. "The children can stay in the human world and protect the princess, just as they were meant to. Even if they don't know who the princess is, I know that they'll eventually be brought together." _

"_And in the meantime?" asked the Sky Dragon. Igneel and Luka smiled knowingly at the others. _

"_Layla has trained Lucy well," Luka replied, using the child's real name instead of the one the Elders had given her. _

_They had decided to end the meeting. Dawn would be approaching, and the dragon's had many things to explain to their children. They had all been told of the situation before, at least once. But, all they had really been told was that they were being trained to protect someone very important. The young Dragon Slayers were never told who or why, only that they were to protect. _

"_There they are!" a large dragon shouted, spotting the group of rebels who had just finished with their meeting. The dragon was dark, its blue and black scales radiating a dark glow as light reflected off of them. He was accompanied by two other dragons, both protected with dark colored scales. _

"_Where are the children?" the large dragon asked threateningly and impatiently. Those dragons were, no doubt, sent by the Elders. Their little group didn't have a name, but they were seen as the Elders' lapdogs, doing their dirty work for them. It was always quite ironic, them being known as the Elders' lapdogs, because they weren't dogs, they were dragons. The size difference alone was enough, speaking for itself. _

"_We won't tell you where the children are!" Metalicana shouted in anger and irritation. He didn't really show it, but he cared about his little brat quite a bit. Even if that brat, Gajeel, seemed like he could care less, the Iron Dragon still cared for him as if he were truly his own son. _

"_If you don't tell us, then we'll just have to sniff them out, won't we?" one of the other lapdogs said, sounding amused. _

"_They're just children, why can't you just leave them alone?" Grandine shouted, a tear threatening to roll down her scaly cheek. The child she was training, Wendy, was still so young. She was the youngest of the Dragon Slayers, but a very smart girl. _

_The three dragons sent by the Elders growled in annoyance. They were sent to retrieve the children so that the Elder Dragons could decide what to do with them. Their stupid 'parents' were getting in the way, and they couldn't very well harm them. It was a known law, respected by even the Elder Dragons, which stated that harming a dragon that has not caused harm to others was absolutely forbidden. _

_One of the other dragons turned to the one who had spoken first, most likely the leader of their little pack, and whispered something that Igneel and the other dragons couldn't hear. The leader roared in frustration._

"_Fine, we'll take them instead!" he growled as he and the other two charged at the group. _

_The four had gotten into a defensive position, ready to take on the Elder's precious little pooches. _

_The charge halted, and Igneel glared at the dark dragons in front of them. The leader held a smirk on his features. _

"_It would be wise to obediently come with us, Fire Dragon Igneel." He let out a low chuckle. "We wouldn't want anything happening to that boy of yours, would we?" _

_Igneel's eyes grew wide in horror. _

"_He looked so peaceful in that little clearing of yours. What a shame it would be if harm were to come his way, no?" _

_Igneel growled furiously at them. How dare they even think about harming Natsu! _

"_Sadly, I doubt you'll ever see your dear son again. Well, that goes for all of you, I suppose." The dark-scaled dragon let out another low chuckle._

_After that, it seemed as if everything was in slow motion as they were all transported to the palace where the Elder Dragons stayed. Before they even knew what was going on, they heard a booming voice. _

"_You will each be banished to a realm in which you will stay for the rest of your life," the dragon said with a tone of finality. _

_Igneel didn't notice anything else besides himself and the dragon that tried to force him through the gate to a dark and barren realm. He didn't want to leave his son for that place. _

"_No! You can't take me away from my son!" he roared as he fought to gain distance from the gate. It was a portal-like gate, and he knew that once he entered and the gate closed, there was little chance of getting out. The other dragons, Luka, Metalicana, and Grandine had been sent to different realms. Only Igneel was left, struggling against the force pushing him toward the gate. _

_He was forced in. As hard as he had struggled, he wasn't strong enough to stop from being pushed through the gate. He'd failed. He felt that he'd let down not only himself, but his son as well. Maybe he did deserve to be put in such a barren and dark place. The Fire Dragon wasn't strong enough to stay with his son, so he felt that he wasn't strong enough to be considered Natsu's father. _

~End flashback~

So, here he was, still wasting away in the same place that he'd been forced into. He figured that banishment was their punishment for defying the Elder Dragons, and since the Queen was dead, there was nothing stopping their actions.

He'd been right, however. His son had met the princess that he was trained to protect, and he was good friends with her, too. Lucy truly was the last hope of getting him and the other dragons back into their world, as was Luka.

Luka was the lucky one, who had apparently gotten sent to a spirit realm. There, she met the holder and creator of gate keys, the Queen herself.

**~With Luka, Lucy and Natsu~**

"The key, what key?" Natsu asked, feeling totally confused and lost. Luka giggled at him. She remembered meeting the boy only once when he was very young. He'd grown up so much, but he was still as clueless as ever.

"Oh, the key you gave me!" Lucy shouted out in realization. "But, I don't have to summon you," Lucy stated, becoming just as confused as Natsu.

"Lucy, did I ever tell you what kind of key that was?" Luka asked amusedly.

"It's a Diamond Key, isn't it?" Lucy asked. She was almost certain it was; she'd never seen any other key that looked like it other than a Diamond Key.

Luka shook her head and smiled.

"That is a Universal Gate Key," she explained. Lucy's eyes went wide and she stared up at her dragon in amazement.

"Wow, what does it do?" Lucy and Natsu asked in unison. They stopped, looked at each other, and blushed. Luka couldn't help but giggle.

"This key allows it's user to enter and exit all realms in the universe. It is the Gate Key of all Gate Keys," the Elemental Dragon said with a smile.

Lucy's eyes were still wide with amazement.

"How… how did you get it?" Lucy asked out loud, although she knew she didn't have to. Luka had already heard her think the question. She was nervously awaiting the response; the feeling that Luka had from the information she was about to share made Lucy's spine tingle with anticipation and disbelief.

"Your mother, our late queen, Layla Heartfilia," Luka said, bowing her head before the blonde mage. Natsu's mouth hung open as he looked from Luka to Lucy and then back to Luka.

Luka turned to Natsu, an apologetic expression on her features.

"Natsu, know that your father never wanted to leave," she said softly. "Not once did he ever dream of doing such a thing. I'll never be able to forget his face, filled with such pain and grief. He didn't want to go. He tried so hard, yet it still wasn't enough."

Natsu gasped and reeled back in utter disbelief. She knew something that he didn't. And by the looks of it, she knew something important. She knew something important about him, and he didn't know what it was. What did she know?

"What do you know?" Natsu asked, unknowingly voicing his thoughts. He decided he would be cautious. The Elemental Dragon's mood was grim and depressing. Whatever she knew, it wasn't a happy story.

Luka tried to put on a fake smile.

"Well, isn't that simple? I know what you don't." She let out a sigh. "I know things about _you _that even you don't know."

"Like what?" Natsu almost spat. He didn't like the feeling of a dragon he barely knew knowing more about him than himself. It was unsettling.

"Like why you're a Dragon Slayer," Luka answered.

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**END NOTE: Sorry about there not being much of Luka, Lucy and Natsu. Wow, those three are gonna have a LOT to talk about, ne? I hope you liked this chapter. I must say that I'm not sure if i like the changes made to the site or not. Hmm... Oh well. Tell me what you thought of this chapter! In some way, I think that something like this really happened, Igneel being forced to leave Natsu behind. That's just my thoughts though. Review please! **

**Oh, BTW, who else is already super psyched for the new Fairy Tail Movie! **

**~Alice-chan**


	20. Chapter 20

**AN/: Hey it's been a while. Sorry about the long wait. This chapter is super long for you! :) I hope you enjoy it! I've gotten really into Kingdom Hearts, and I've been thinking about writing a Kingdom Hearts & Fairy Tail crossover. Would you guys read it? Oh and at the end, think of (if you've played Kingdom Hearts) the song Sanctuary. :) It goes absolutely perfectly with the end. I wrote this chapter in a span of about 3 days. Some of it might not make sense, though. I was writing part of this while it was like 106 degrees out. Well, anyways, enjoy. **

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Natsu blinked a few times, his expression unchanging at first. Luka knew why he was a Dragon Slayer… but didn't he know too?

"I'm a Dragon Slayer because Igneel raised me as one. He taught me Dragon Slaying magic, and that's why I'm a Dragon Slayer," Natsu said, looking at the dragon with confusion. That was why, wasn't it?

Luka shook her head slightly.

"That is only the obvious reason," Luka said, frowning at the painful memory of that day. Natsu's confusion only increased at her words while Lucy only watched with interest.

"The obvious reason?" Natsu asked with a hint of anger in his voice. "Enough of the riddles or whatever, tell me what you're talking about!" Natsu tried to stay calm, but let some irritation seep out through his words.

Luka looked over to Lucy briefly. Lucy's expression had shifted from interested to… well, frustrated, confused, curious, determined, and an emotional sea of many others. Luka could only guess why the Dragon Master's emotions had changed so suddenly.

Luka had somehow blocked the mental connection between Lucy and herself. Lucy knew that in some way, but she was more curious as to why. There had been other times when it had happened before, but never like this time. The other times were just skips and flickers. What troubled her now was that the little flicker wasn't a flicker.

Lucy couldn't hear any of Luka's thoughts. Usually, she tried to tune most of them out, but there was one thought that caught her attention. It caught her attention and when she was prepared to listen to it everything was cut. She had heard, 'I can't tell him that it's because of her,' and nothing else. Because of who, who was this girl that Luka was talking about? Why was it her fault?

Lucy wanted to know, so she tried to unblock the connection. When she couldn't, it frustrated her. She wanted to know whether or not this girl Luka was talking about was dangerous. She wanted to know, because Natsu was involved. She cared for Natsu, that was a given. She knew she had feelings for him and the kiss they shared only proved it further.

"I'm not the right person to explain everything to you," Luka said, looking back to Natsu. "But, I do know who can."

Natsu thought for a brief moment. Recap: there was a reason that he was a Dragon Slayer, and it wasn't the "obvious" reason, and there was a person that could explain the reason, and Luka knew who they were. Natsu couldn't help but wonder if this person had anything to do with Igneel's disappearance.

"Why don't we get to training?" Luka asked suddenly. "We can worry about all this other stuff later. And Natsu," Luka called, drawing the pink-haired mage from his thoughts. "I will take you to see her, and she will tell you everything. But, not fight now," she finished with a kind smile.

Natsu nodded in understanding. After all, the whole Dragon Master training thing wasn't about him. It was about Lucy, it was all for her.

"Okay, we have to use the Universal Key?" Lucy asked, holding the glittering key out in front of her. Luka nodded and Lucy locked her eyes on the key as she blew out a breath. "How do I use it?" she asked with a serious and determined tone.

Natsu felt his jaw drop. Lucy just asked how to use a gate key… Lucy was a celestial mage, and was asking how to use a gate key.

"Oh, that's right," Luka said to no one in particular. "You've never used that kind of gate key before."

"There's a difference?" Natsu asked with exaggerated surprise.

"Oh yes! Lucy knows how to use it for summoning purposes, but the Universal Key is more of a tool for travel," the Elemental Dragon explained. "You see, if Lucy were to use it to summon me, the only thing she would be doing with that key is opening a gate. By calling out to me, the key pinpoints me in the world that I'm in and determines my location, opening a gate from that world to this one."

Lucy listened in awe while Luka explained how the Universal Key was used. She was certain that it was more complex, even though it sounded like a normal gate key.

"Using the key to summon is one of the abilities the Universal Key has. It's kind of like a pinpointing feature that opens gates based on a specific person or thing, rather than by a location or world. The Universal Key is just as it's named. It's like the skeleton key of the universe, opening the gates to every world and realm in the universe."

"Whoa, that's so cool!" Natsu shouted. "You mean it can open the gate to Edolas too?"

Luka nodded and continued to explain what the key did.

"It can open a gate to Edolas _and _let you pass through it."

The two humans looked up at the dragon in amazement and let their jaws drop. Luka chuckled softly at the sight.

"I told you that it's like the skeleton key of the universe. Do you usually use a skeleton key to unlock a door and then stand there and just stare at the room that's on the other side? No, you unlock the door to get into the room on the other side," Luka explained, laughing lightly as she spoke.

Lucy and Natsu stared at Luka. They didn't speak, they didn't move; heck, Luka wasn't even sure if they were breathing.

"What, do _you _use a skeleton key to stare at a room?" Luka asked with slight concern.

"Of course not!" Lucy shouted defensively. Natsu simply kept staring, his expression becoming blank.

"What's a skeleton key?" he asked casually.

"What!" Lucy shouted in anger and disbelief. "You mean to say that you haven't had a clue as to what Luka has been talking about this whole time?"

Natsu scratched the back of his head.

"Yep, pretty much," he said without a care in the world. That boy really was a piece of work.

There was an awkward moment of silence before Lucy spoke up. She'd been like the awkward silence Nazi, cracking down on those awkward silences and eliminating them.

"So, we're going to use the Universal Key to go somewhere for training," Lucy said as a recap. "Where are we going?" Lucy asked Luka. She figured that, since it was a gate key, she could open the gate to a world by using its name at least.

"There we go, Lucy! You're catching on!" Luka praised happily. She'd only known her master for a short time, but she knew that Lucy was smart.

"I don't get it," Natsu said. He really was stupid, wasn't he?

"We'll be going to Satia, spelled S-a-t-i-a, pronounced Say-shuh," Luka said. The two young mages looked at the dragon in confusion. Was there really a need to spell it out too?

"That sounds like a beautiful place," Lucy commented. "Are you sure it'll be safe to take this idiot with us?" Lucy asked, jabbing her thumb in Natsu's direction. Natsu gasped.

"Hey!" he shouted defensively. Luka laughed and shook her head.

"Lucy, it'll be fine. Trust me."

Lucy nodded and held the key out in front of her, determined and ready to go. She suddenly frowned when she realized that she still didn't actually know how to use the key. Luka sensed that and spoke up.

"First, say, 'I call open the universal gates of travel. Open and let us pass.'," Luka commanded.

Holding the key, Lucy repeated the dragon's words.

"I call open the universal gates of travel. Open and let us pass!" The key glowed and a circle of light formed on the ground under Lucy.

"This introduces you as the Key's owner. This will be the only time you'll have to do that. The only thing you'll need to know to open gates is the name of the world and their title."

"Name and title, got it," Lucy confirmed to herself, nodding her head.

"To open the gate to Satia, you'll say, 'Open, gate to the meadows, Satia.'"

Lucy held the key out in front of her again, gripping the decorative end in her fingers.

"Open, gate to the meadows, Satia!" she shouted and a swirling vortex of light began to gather at the tip of the key. The light spun in toward the key and gathered into a ball, exploding outward and away from the key. In front of her was a glowing portal, a new world residing on the other side.

Lucy smiled and began to laugh. It seemed silly that she would laugh, but it was out of pride and amazement. She'd managed to open a portal to another world almost effortlessly. The gate had opened on the first try, too!

Lucy felt warm, muscular arms embrace her. They lifted her into the air and spun her around.

"That was so cool, Luce!" Natsu shouted as he placed her back onto the ground, laughing as she wobbled back and forth from the dizziness. Lucy muttered out a breathless 'thanks' as she held her arms out at her sides in an attempt to steady herself as her world spun.

Luka flew through the gate first and Natsu bolted after the dragon. Lucy was the last to walk through the gate.

The blonde gasped in awe as she took in the sight of the new world. It wasn't much; she stepped onto bright green grass that covered every inch of land that she could see. The sky was a vibrant blue and the white, cotton-like clouds floated through the sky with the gentle breeze that swept across the land. It was the serenity of the meadow that gave it its beauty.

The grass blew in the wind, tickling Lucy's ankles.

"Welcome to Satia… You have now seen all of Satia," Luka said with a smile.

"All of Satia?" Natsu asked. "You mean this is it?"

"Yeah, this whole world is pretty much a big meadow," Luka explained.

"Does anyone live here?" Lucy asked spinning around to look in every direction. The gate had closed as soon as Lucy stepped through it, but it didn't bother her much. There really was a giant meadow as far as the eye could see, though.

"Sometimes, but the only inhabitants here are the Landkeepers," Luka said as she landed on the ground and walked around in a circle for some odd reason.

"Landkeepers, what are those?" Lucy asked. Were they a different species or something, or was that just a title?

"Landkeepers are the creatures that live here in Satia. They take care of the land and things like that. They mostly eat grass, which is why they live here, as you can see. The grass would be a lot longer if there weren't anyone to take care of it," the dragon said as she randomly lay on her side and rolled around.

"Uh, okay… and that's why we're training here?" Natsu asked as he watched the dragon roll on the grass. His voice was filled with uncertainty, because he was questioning Luka's sanity at that point.

"Okay, Luka what are you doing?" Lucy asked, finally giving up on just dealing with the fact that a dragon was rolling around on the ground for no particular reason.

"You try; the grass here is as soft as feathers!" Luka purred as she nuzzled the back of her head into the ground.

"N-no, I think I'm good," she stuttered.

"Wow, it is soft! Lucy, roll around!" Natsu shouted from the ground. This world made people crazy, Lucy was sure of it now. She was next.

"No thanks."

"Oh, c'mon!" Natsu jumped up from his spot on the ground and threw himself at the blonde. He wrapped his arms around her, but let his weight continue to carry him to the ground, resulting in a successful tackle.

"Natsu!" Lucy growled angrily as she fell to the ground. The two landed with a thud and Lucy found herself looking up at the Dragon Slayer that had tackled her to the ground. "What was that for?" she asked breathlessly. He was on top of her, and that was awkward enough, yet it made her heart race in her chest.

"Lucy, you're a weirdo!" he laughed and took hold of her arms, flipping himself off of her and dragging her with him, flipping their positions. That made Lucy's heart race even more. "Roll around with us; it's fun!"

"And you call me the weirdo." Lucy shook her head at the fire mage, but laughed when he reached over and tickled her side.

"S-stop-p it!" she laughed out squeezing her eyes shut and grabbing at his hand that was tickling her. Natsu took that opportunity to clasp her hand in his own. Pushing himself off the ground and taking Lucy with him, he pushed Lucy onto her back and pinned her hand to the ground with his own, still holding it tightly in his grasp.

"N-Natsu?" Lucy asked nervously as he placed his forehead against her own. Both were breathing heavily from laughing and throwing each other around.

"Luce, you need to loosen up some," Natsu laughed, his bright, heartwarming smile on his face. "We're in a new world, let's try and have some fun while we're here before we tear up the place with our training."

"He's right, you know," Luka shouted over to them.

"See?" Natsu said as he looked into her chocolate-brown eyes. Lucy let out a breath, accepting defeat.

"Fine," she said and Natsu's face lit up even further with joy. Lucy began to relax a bit, though her heart was still racing as Natsu continued to press his forehead against hers. She noticed that they were right; the grass was as soft as a feather.

Lucy remembered rolling around in the grass with her mother once. It was a very faint memory and everything was fuzzy, but she remembered laughing with her mother as they rolled across a large lawn in front of a palace. She couldn't remember why they were at a palace, or when the event had occurred. She had so much fun with her mother while they rolled in the grass. She remembered being happy. Actually, she remembered being quite the active child. She and her mother would climb trees, roll on the grass, jump on the beds, play tag together, and she even remembered her mother helping her play pranks on the servants where she used to live in the summers.

"So, you want to roll around with me?" Natsu asked almost nervously. He had added the words 'with me' and was worried that maybe she would say no again. He'd been thinking about her constantly; about their kiss, about the type of relationship they had. He still wasn't quite sure of his feelings though, although he knew that she made him happier than anything else in the world.

Lucy smiled and nodded slightly, pushing Natsu off of her and rolling away from him. Natsu continued to smile even as he watched her roll away from him. She'd stopped on her stomach and folded her arms in front of her.

Natsu rolled over to her and stopped at her side. He noticed she'd started twirling the blades of grass in between her fingers.

"I remember rolling around in grass like this with my mother once," Lucy said softly as Natsu lay next to her. Lucy smiled at the memory. Though it was vague, it was still a beautiful memory.

Natsu couldn't help but smile. Lucy hardly ever talked about her memories with her mother. He figured that it'd be painful, so he never pushed the subject, but she looked so happy talking about her mom.

"We used to do it all the time, roll around in the grass, or even in our living room." Lucy laughed at the memory of her and her mother moving all of the furniture to the sides of the rooms and rolling around on the rug.

"Your mom sounds like she was a fun person," Natsu said, laughing lightly.

"She was. We used to climb trees together and run around like crazy people. I remember when we played a prank on Papa once. We went into the kitchen and switched around all the spices. The chef went along with it too." Lucy stopped to laugh for a bit, finding it difficult to talk and laugh at the same time.

"When lunch came around, me and Mama sat and watched Papa while he took his first bite. We didn't touch our food because of the spice switch-up, but going without lunch that day was worth the look on my father's face."

"You're mom helped you prank people? Man, I wish I would've been able to meet her," Natsu said with a sweet smile as he too, played with blades of grass.

"Me too," Lucy said nodding her head and smiling. "She would have loved you!" Lucy let out a giggle. "She would have teased you about your pink hair so much," Lucy giggled again, pointing to Natsu's hair.

Lucy sighed and decided that since she was already talking about her mother, she might as well tell her best friend about her.

"My mom was quiet and sophisticated when it came to the important business stuff. But, when it was just me and her, she was wild, crazy, and fun-loving. In all honesty, she hated sitting still when she was full of energy. She always had to act reserved when it came to business, which was a lot of the time."

Natsu got into a comfortable position as he listened to Lucy talk about her mother. He didn't mind listening to her talk about her mom and herself. He loved hearing Lucy's voice, it was so pretty.

"I remember there were times when Mama would have to leave to a couple of weeks at a time. I never knew where she was going, but I think she took me with her once. She told me after that that I wasn't allowed to go with her again until I learned not to break so many things," Lucy choked out with a laugh.

"Break things?" Natsu asked curiously, urging her to elaborate on the subject.

"Well, I guess that I'd broken tons of things while I was there. Mama was furious when she'd heard that I broke the chandelier that hung in the foyer of the palace. My memory of being there is a bit fuzzy, but I know that by the time we left Mama had forbid me to touch anything of value."

"You were destructive when you were little?" Natsu asked with amusement. Lucy nodded and laughed along with her best friend.

"But Mama always taught me how to act like a proper young lady. I hated it, but after she died, I acted like that all the time. I was never allowed to leave the estate, and my dad focused on his work more than ever. He never liked it when I didn't act proper, so I tried to be as perfect as I could all the time." Lucy began to frown as she began to explain the reasons that led to her running away.

"My father focused on work so much after my mother died, that he hardly even acknowledged my existence. I remember once that I had made my father a rice ball. It was my birthday, and the house chef helped me make it for him. When I went to give it to him, he threw it on the ground and told me that I should spend my time on more important things, like learning how to run a business."

Natsu was almost horrified at what he was hearing. He knew that her father was disgusting and horrible, but even when Lucy was a little girl he acted like that, and that was pretty bad.

"If he didn't acknowledge you, then why did he go through the trouble of trying to get you back when he sent Phantom Lord after you?"

"He tried to arrange a marriage between me and the son of one of his rich business partners. He told me that I had to produce a boy to inherit the company. I've just been a pawn to him, a tool to get him more money." Lucy continued to play with the blades of grass as she looked down in thought.

"It's a wonder how someone like him can get what he wants, but I'm still trying so hard to get what I want."

Natsu perked up a bit at her words, almost with hope. Yet, what was he hoping for, that he was what she wanted? He smiled inwardly; he didn't think that would be so bad.

"What is it that you want?" her pink-haired friend asked.

"No, it's silly," Lucy said waving it off. She already felt crazy enough for pouring half her heart out right in front of him. She felt better now that she'd gotten some of it off of her chest, but if she told Natsu what she wanted, then there was the possibility that he would give it to her because he knew it was what she wanted. It wouldn't be an honest thing.

"So what if it's silly? I'll help you get it if you tell me, no matter what it is." Natsu smiled brightly at the girl next to him.

Lucy opened her mouth as if to tell him. She wanted someone she cared about to be proud of her and she wanted to hear it. But what came out weren't the words she wanted to say.

"No, no, it's okay. We should get to training, that way Luka can tell you about that girl she was talking about."

"O-okay," Natsu responded a bit bashfully. She wanted to get training done and over with for him. He had a feeling that Lucy was doing so much more for him, and he wished more than anything that he could repay her for that.

"You guys ready?" Luka asked as she made her way to the two who were still lying on the ground.

"Yeah," Lucy replied with a smile. Luka smiled.

"First, let's clear our minds," Luka said as she unfurled her wings and began to hover above the ground. "We'll run for a little bit to warm up."

"I thought that we weren't doing combat training today, though," Natsu said with confusion.

"We aren't, but we still need to warm up. This will prepare not only your body, but your mind as well."

The two nodded in understanding and raced after the dragon that flew up in the sky with the clouds. It was strange to Lucy, though. It was peaceful as she ran and it was as if she could hear music playing as she ran. The mysterious notes echoed through her mind and she felt as if she were flying in the sky with Luka. The world she was in was perfect as she ran, like her sanctuary.

Lucy felt a smile crawl onto her face, and she couldn't help but feel that everything was perfect at that moment. With Natsu and Luka at her side, she could do anything. Nothing could stand in her way, especially now that she'd found a place she could call her sanctuary. She was unstoppable, content, invincible, and euphoric; she was Lucy, the Elemental Dragon Master.

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**END NOTE: How was it? Was it really confusing? Did you listen to the song? Do you play Kingdom Hearts? Let me know if you agree that the song went perfectly with the end of this chapter. I was listening to that song while typing up the end, haha! So that's why I think the song goes perfectly. It's actually quite ironic; I wrote the beginning of this chapter before I started listening to the song and all that. "You and I, there's a new land!" There is a new land! Satia! :) I feel so smart! I feel kind of out of it, so let me know what you think of this chapter! Tell me if you see any errors and I'll try and fix them, k? Also, I want your opinion on whether or not I should write that Kingdom Hearts/Fairy Tail crossover! I'll post a poll for it on my profile page, so check it out and remember to vote... AND REVIEW! oops, sorry. I meant please review this chapter. :) Until next time!**

**~Alice-chan**


	21. Chapter 21

**AN/: I feel like I haven't updated in like forever! Gosh! Well, anyways, here's the next chapter! It's nice and long. Like always, in case it slipped your mind, I don't own Fairy Tail. Gosh, I don't know what I would do if I did, but I don't, so it doesn't matter! XD WOOHOO! Okay, so this chapter contains lots of fluff, tons and tons of humor, a brilliant revelation, and paragraph after paragraph of me BS'ing my way through an endless sea of detail. *grins a bright, cheeky smile* Enjoy. **

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They'd run for a good amount of time and Lucy, Natsu, and Luka felt calm and ready for anything. Lucy had let everything slip from her mind, and even the most pestering thoughts were blown away from the confines of her mind.

They'd stopped running and were now bracing themselves for what was next. Lucy was going to learn techniques, but not fighting techniques. The blonde was anxious to learn that day and, though her features didn't show it, she was bubbly and excited. Exactly what kind of things would her dragon teach her?

"Being a Dragon Master is about much more than just the magic," Luka began to explain. "It is also about the bond between the dragon and its master. Once we can understand each other, we can overcome just about anything."

Lucy nodded up at the dragon. So far, she pretty much understood what she was saying. It made sense, too.

"But, that's not what we're focusing on today," Luka said with a straight and serious face.

And now Lucy was a bit lost. She knew that she should've been lost or confused, but she couldn't help it. Maybe it was because her thoughts wouldn't stay in her mind long enough for her to actually think about them.

Lucy risked a glance in Natsu direction and a small smile spread across her face. She was glad that she it wasn't just her that was confused. Natsu looked just as lost as Lucy felt.

Lucy almost felt ditzy. She could take things seriously, but she was sure that if something had been going on behind Luka, Lucy would've let her attention flicker to that, then back to Luka. It was natural, human curiosity made worse by the lack of an actual attention span.

"What we're focusing on, Lucy, is teaching you how to _control _me," Luka said with a mischievous smile.

Lucy nodded. Now that she knew what topic they were on, she wasn't quite as lost anymore. She knew that Dragon Masters commanded their dragon, so the current topic of learning… well, it made sense that she would be learning it. But, wouldn't the word 'control' be a bit of a strong word to use? Why not simply use the word 'command'?

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Natsu shoot her a quick glance. He looked almost distressed, and for reasons that Lucy could not fathom, she couldn't figure out why. Then again, she wasn't really trying to figure anything out. She was just thinking aimless thoughts about nothing in particular, her mind wandering from one subject to another without her notice or her care for that matter.

Natsu had extremely spiky hair. That was one such random thought that popped into Lucy's head as she let her gaze trail back to her partner for a brief moment. However, that thought popped up with about two or three others at the same time. If you were to take all the thoughts and mush them into one, it would actually make sense.

Natsu's hair was pink, soft despite its spiky appearance, and gravity-defying.

"Lucy, pay attention!" Luka reprimanded playfully. Lucy blushed slightly from embarrassment as she nodded her head.

"As I was saying, I'll be teaching you the command techniques," Luka continued to explain. Natsu couldn't help but feel a bit out of place. There wasn't much he could do when it came to commanding. But, he'd go along with everything, just as he'd planned to do in the first place.

"First, you'll learn how to tap into my magic," the Elemental Dragon said, her eyes on Lucy. The blonde nodded with a quick jerk of her head.

"Not to interrupt, but what should I be doing at the moment?" Natsu asked a bit sheepishly. Luka smiled at him softly.

"Be patient, Natsu." Luka turned her attention back to Lucy. "Alright, you'll need to use your magic to find my magic. Both of our magic was bonded together the first time we met, however, you have to learn how to use that bonded magic. Take your magic energy and spread it out around you," the dragon instructed.

Lucy focused of her magic, expanding it out around her like, stretching it like a rubber band. It expanded out in a circle around her, and she felt Natsu's magic energy instead of Luka's. He must have been standing in her little magic radar zone.

Lucy stretched her magic out further and when she felt a familiar, strong, magical presence enter the premises of her magic circle she immediately latched her own magic onto it. The magic she felt was like her own and Lucy knew why. How could she not?

"Very good, Lucy!" Luka said in praise trying to contain her excitement. Lucy smiled warmly at her dragon. Her words were so close to what she had always wanted to hear. Close, but not quite.

"Do you even need to learn this part, Lucy," Natsu asked with a light and amused laugh. He had felt her magic surround him as she was concentrating on finding Luka's magic. He knew how to use his magic as a radar to some extent, but he had to learn how to do that. Lucy was like a natural at it, but then again, maybe it was just common sense to her; she was a lot smarter than him.

Lucy gave Natsu a thoughtful look and turned back to Luka. Why was Lucy latching onto Luka's magic a significant part of their training that day? Okay, she wasn't that stupid. She remembered what Luka had said about her having to know how to use the bonded magic, but what did that have to do with commanding her dragon?

"You look confused," Luka teased. Lucy almost snorted out a laugh, resulting in Natsu trying to hold back a laugh of his own.

"Oh, would you just tell me what this has to do with commanding you?" Lucy asked with slight irritation, but her words came out with more playfulness than irritation.

Luka let out an exaggerated and playful sigh.

"Weeeell," Luka began, dragging out the word, "you can use your magic to manipulate my magic, if that makes any sense. By doing that, you can use magic to tell me what to do." Luka tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "Did that make any sense at all?"

"Actually, yeah, it kind of did," Lucy responded with a smile. Oh, dear, they weren't being serious at all. Lucy cleared her throat and wore a suddenly serious expression. Okay, so maybe _now _they were going to be serious.

"Okay, Lucy, I want you to command me to do something, but, not with words," Luka said, staring down at her master intensely. Geez, Luka could be intimidating at times.

"What do you want me to have you do, fly or something?" Lucy asked, feeling almost uncomfortable under the intense gaze of her dragon that only grew more intense by the second. Luka gave a slight nod.

"O-okay, but seriously, could you stop staring at me like that? It's making me uncomfortable." Lucy shrunk back a bit. That stare Luka was giving her was definitely creepy.

Lucy thought for a moment about how to use her magic to command Luka. At the very least, it got her mind off of the stare that Luka was still giving her.

'How could I go about doing this?' Lucy thought as she brought her fingers up to tap her chin lightly. 'And seriously, what is with that look Luka's giving me? I mean, really! What does she hope to accomplish with that?' Lucy continued to tap her chin until the sound of Luka's voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"Natsu, this is where I'll need your help," Luka said with a smile, releasing Lucy from her creepy stare for a mere second before the dragon snapped it back in place. Natsu straightened his posture and saluted the dragon, pepped up and ready to go.

"What do you need me to do?" Natsu asked.

"I need you to try and break Lucy's focus. Just try and keep her distracted. She'll need to concentrate to use her magic, so the goal is to make that as difficult as possible for her." Luka let a smug grin join her creepy stare.

"Okay, well what do you think I should do?" Natsu asked, momentarily confused as to why Luka wanted Lucy to be distracted. He decided that he'd just go along with it. That would be easier in the long run.

"I don't know, take your shirt off or something," Luka said, her smile growing bigger when she noticed the teenagers' confused and flustered expression. The dragon swore that humans were possibly the most amusing creatures in existence when it came to their emotions. It's like they were always clueless.

Though Natsu was flustered and had no idea as to why Luka had suggested taking off his shirt, he did so without complaint. Lucy quickly turned her head from him, her cheeks burning red.

"You're a monster!" Lucy shrieked in embarrassment. Natsu jumped back a bit. Was he talking about her?

"How so?" Luka asked with amusement. She was clearly enjoying herself.

"You did that on purpose!" the blonde shouted at her dragon. "Why do you want to distract me so badly?"

"It's all part of training, Lucy," Luka replied, a smug grin on her scaly features. "Your concentration is no match for his 'sexy abs' as you call them!" Luka said, howling out a maniacal laugh teasingly. Lucy's face darkened into a whole new shade of dark red.

"I thought the goal was to make it difficult for me to concentrate, not impossible!" Lucy growled angrily through her clenched teeth. She turned away from Natsu completely, hiding her face in her hands. Luka, that little traitor! She was going to pay for that one day!

Natsu's face was painted with a crimson blush. Of course, it wasn't as bad as Lucy's. Natsu couldn't help the small smile that crept onto his face. He could say that he didn't feel a little proud that Lucy thought he had 'sexy abs' because that would be lying and he, for one, was not a liar.

Lucy could not believe that Luka had said that. It wasn't a lie that Natsu had some nice abs, though. If anyone said otherwise, then they were just flat out blind or downright lying.

Luka began to giggle as Lucy sulked and Lucy didn't quite like that. She'd been looking forward to this day, she was so excited, but now she wished for nothing more than the day to end so she could rush home and hide her face in her pillow for the rest of all eternity. She was just so _embarrassed!_

Natsu seemed to realize the discomfort of his partner. He felt bad about it, but didn't quite know why. It wasn't like he'd said anything to her, but it still bugged him. He could see Lucy trembling as he stared at her back. She honestly looked like she was on the verge of tears. So she thought he had sexy abs, big deal! He thought she had nice boobs, but he would never just come right out and say that to her. Not only would he be embarrassed, but he was certain that a really hard slap would follow the sentence.

Natsu could've smacked himself into the next world right then and there. How stupid could he get? No wonder Lucy was so embarrassed! He wanted to help Lucy out, so the first thing he did was slip his vest back on. What else could he do to make her feel better?

The idea hit him like a cold, hard, and very, very solid brick. Oh geez, he couldn't believe he was going to say it, but…

"Hey, Luce?" Said blonde turned at the sound of her nickname. "Don't be too embarrassed, okay?" he said a bit nervously. "If it makes you feel any better at all, I think you have, uh….." Natsu finished his sentence with a deep blush and a rushed whisper that Lucy heard but couldn't quite make out.

"Come again?" Lucy asked. Natsu scratched the back of his head and cleared his throat, taking a deep breath before speaking.

"I said, I th-think you have… niceboobs…" Natsu couldn't get the words out of his mouth fast enough. He honestly felt like his whole face was on fire. Lucy looked absolutely stunned. The Fire Dragon Slayer was certain that if she had been drinking something when he said that, it would've been very close to a spit-take, only it would most likely be followed by the poor girl nearly choking to death.

Natsu's heart pounded in his chest. What was she going to do? Even Luka had gone completely silent.

'_Ohmygod, ohmygod, Oh. My. GOD!' _Natsu's thoughts screamed dramatically. His heart was beating faster than it had when he'd kissed Lucy. But, the feeling that pulsed through his veins wasn't the same. What raced through him now was fear and anxiety.

What if he just ruined his friendship with his favorite blonde? What if he ruined any possible chances at having a relationship with her? He still wasn't completely sure of his feelings for Lucy, but he knew that she was special to him. Of all the girls that he was friends with, Lucy was the one he held closest to his heart.

Lucy wasn't saying anything. She wasn't saying a single word! Not one stutter, and heck, Natsu wasn't even sure if she was _breathing! _

'Say something, Luce! For the love of God, say something!' Natsu's thoughts shrieked frantically. His nerves weren't going to last much longer. Was she doing it on purpose? Come on, even he… wait. He did, didn't he?

Natsu had to fight the urge to gasp. Honestly, he had to remember to thank whatever gracious, higher existence had blessed him with the ability to stay alive all those years. He had to be one of the stupidest people to ever live! Possibly even stupider than Gray, and that was saying something.

When Luka had said that Lucy thought her best friend had sexy abs, she sat there embarrassed almost to the point of tears. And what had Natsu done? Absolutely nothing! He hadn't said a word to her for a while. No wonder she looked like she was going to bawl her eyes out. The poor girl was no doubt just as frazzled as Natsu was at the moment. Maybe Lucy was doing it on purpose, but she just looked too shocked to actually do anything like that. But, even he had eventually said something to her.

'Oh, please, for the love of all that is holy and righteous in the universe, Lucy, SAY SOMETHING!' the pink-haired boy's mind pleaded desperately. His face must have looked like a stinking tomato!

Without a word, Natsu saw a small smile beginning to grow on the Dragon Master's lips. He could never really look at her lips the same way ever again after he'd kissed her, but that was kind of his own fault, wasn't it?

"You… look so cute when you're embarrassed," Lucy said softly, causing Natsu to release a breath of air that he hadn't noticed he was holding in. He wasn't really surprised that he had been, though. He was just glad that Lucy had finally said something. He didn't even really register her words yet, he was just glad that he'd heard her voice.

To Natsu, Lucy had one of the most amazing voices he'd ever heard. It could be annoying as she complained and like nails on a chalkboard when she screeched angrily. When she was happy and excited, her voice was like a bubbly, carbonated, soft drink that his ears would drink in with pleasure. When she talked to Levy about a sappy romance part of a book she had just read, her voice was like a symphony as she explained all of her different thoughts and feelings about the characters. When Lucy was sad, it sounded like rain.

That was the only thing Natsu could really compare it to and it fit rather nicely, if he did say so himself. It was like, when she was sad, the fire loving teen's world turned to the darkest shade of grey. Just seeing Lucy when she was sad made Natsu think of those depressing scenes in movies. You know, like the ones where everyone is at a funeral and of all things it just has to be raining. It couldn't be bright and sunny out to lift the mood of the mourning family members and friends. No, it had to be dark and gloomy… and raining.

However, when Lucy was being sincere and blissfully happy, her voice sounded like an angel. Honestly, that had to be the most cliché thing Natsu had ever thought of, but there was no way that he could deny its truth. When Lucy was being sweet, kind, sincere, loving, content… what was that word Luce had used once? Oh, euphoric, that was it. Whenever the Celestial Mage and Dragon Master was like any of those, her voice would come out sounding like the most amazing thing he'd ever heard in his life.

When Lucy was being any of the amazing, happy feelings that he could name off, her voice was like so many different things that the only thing it could be compared to was an angel. Her voice was absolutely perfect in every single way. It was soft and gentle, like a warm summer breeze, yet it was also light and fluffy, beautiful like freshly fallen snow. At the same time, it was bright and dazzling, like sun but warm and comforting, compassionate and tender like a smoldering fire lit during a cold winter's night. It was just amazing the way she sounded, kind of like how she sounded when she finally spoke up after leaving Natsu so nervous that he was practically sweating bullets.

'_You… look so cute when you're embarrassed,' _Lucy had said, and only now was it registering in Natsu's brain that she had actually said that. Not only did he feel giddy and happy, but he was so relieved that Lucy didn't march up to him and slap him into the next century. Oh gosh, he loved the feeling that swirled in the pit of his stomach as he noticed her kind and warm smile that took his feelings of happiness to an entirely new level. He loved it so much! He loved _her _so much!

Natsu let a shy smile slip onto his own face before he ducked his head down in futile attempt to hide his ever growing blush. He loved Lucy. He definitely knew that now with every fiber of his being, every last inch of his soul, and every single last strand of his entire existence. It couldn't be any other feeling than love. What else could make him feel like, without her, he would be stuck in a cold, dark, empty world where the sun no longer existed? Was there any other feeling in existence that could make him feel so nervous and anxious yet so content and at ease at the same time? If there was, he'd love to hear about it.

Natsu and Lucy sat and stared at each other, the kindest and tenderest of smiles gracing their faces. It was perfect. Lucy was still a bit shocked that Natsu had actually said the words that came out of his mouth.

The moment in time that they were at now couldn't have ever been predicted, especially considering the way things had happened only minutes ago. Was it only minutes? It had felt like hours. How did such an embarrassing moment turn into Natsu and Lucy gazing at each other with the most heart-melting smiles and expressions on their faces?

All too soon, the comfortable silence that had settled over them was broken and shattered.

"Are you two just going to stand there and drool over each other?" Luka asked her tone teasing and playful. Lucy couldn't believe it! Great job, Luka! Way to ruin the moment! Nevertheless, the three laughed and got back to training.

Instead of Natsu taking off his shirt to distract his favorite blonde, who he realized he loved dearly thanks to his sudden epiphany, he stood close to her and got real close to her face. That's right; he stood next to Lucy with his face merely centimeters away from the side of her head. That sure distracted her!

Training continued and it was actually more fun than Lucy had thought it would be. She learned how to command Luka through her magic and how to order Luka to use different spells. She even learned how to fly a dragon. Yes, she had to fly Luka around like a big, beautiful, scaly airplane. Natsu, of course, had to sit that part out.

Natsu had sat on the ground sulking and grumbling in discontent. He figured that he and Luka were pretty good friends by now, so flying on her back wouldn't be like riding a train, or a boat, or a carriage, or a walking city… Apparently, his motion sickness thought otherwise. He sat and picked at the grass mumbling things like "Freaking transportation," and "Stupid-ass motion sickness!"

Needless to say, Natsu was pretty bummed out about not getting to fly around on Luka's back. He was revolted by to fact that he couldn't even think about flying on her back without gagging.

Luka, however, didn't quite mind. She said she'd make it up to him. How, you ask? Well, by taking him to see the one person who could really explain the reason the young boy had become a Dragon Slayer. Mothers were always the best at explaining things.

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**END NOTE: See? Like I said, nice and long. What did you think? Wait! Are you still stuck in that third paragraph of like five of detail that centers around one main idea? CRAP! *tosses a life preserver* GRAB THE FLOATY! I'll pull you to safety! Whew! That was a close one. *wipes sweat off my brow* No one died, did they?**

**Annnywaaays... Yeah, I know I'm funny 'cause I'm crazy. :) Oh, well. Let me know what you thought of this chapter. You don't have to, but it'd be appreciated. Would you review if I told you I have cancer? No? Okay, good, because I don't. Oh, look at me, I'm rambling again. *sigh* life... I'll update soon-ish... :) If I feel like it... OH CRAP! You know what? I always forget to thank the people who reviewed! What is wrong with me! **

**Okay, I got a review on... I think it was chapter 2, where I was asked if I really came up with that whole book thing on my own. The answer... is yes. :) I did come up with that on my own, and I'm glad you thought it was awesome. **

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my story. You guys make me so happy all the time. You're like relentless reviewing machines! WOOHOO! You guys rock! Really, you do! Well, I think I've talked you ears off by now and I'm probably working at your brain now, so I'm going to shut my mouth and just say: Until Next Time...**

**~Alice-chan**


	22. Chapter 22

**AN/: I want you all to know that I really like this chapter! I've created a new OC of sorts :) So I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I was giggling in excitement while I wrote it. Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to review this story. I realize that reviewing is optional, so the fact that you took the time to review makes me so happy! I hope you continue to review and inspire wonderful chapters like this one. Enjoy!**

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"So, what are we going to do now?" Natsu asked, scratching his head in confusion. Luka had explained at least three times that they were going to go to another world of sorts. But her explanation was so vague that Natsu seriously felt like he was blanking out while she was talking.

"Don't worry, Natsu. I'm pretty confused myself," Lucy said in reassurance to her pink-haired friend. Despite the… awkward situation they'd gotten into earlier that day, they still acted like best friends. It was like nothing had happened at all, except Lucy could swear that she caught Natsu staring at her from time to time.

Lucy shook her head and let out a sigh. She, too, was getting tired of Luka's games.

"Where are we going?" Lucy shouted the question up at her scaly friend. Luka looked a bit… nervous? Or maybe it was that she looked like she was at a loss for words, or possible at a loss for an explanation.

"Luka," Lucy growled through her teeth with irritation. Luka looked down at the humans with a blank expression until Lucy saw the dragon's jaw move. Luka said something that was barely audible, but Lucy and Natsu heard the rumble of her voice in her throat as she spoke, although they couldn't make out the words.

"What did you say, Luka?" Natsu asked almost in disbelief. Luka looked down at them a bit guiltily and took in a deep breath.

"I said we're… kind of going to… heaven…" Luka looked from Lucy to Natsu and then back to Lucy, worry and anxiety on her beautiful features.

"Heaven?" Natsu shouted up at the dragon, his eyes comically wide. Lucy looked almost drained of color. Natsu swallowed loudly. "Does that mean we have to _die?_" Natsu asked with a hint of fear in his voice.

"No! No we don't be I was afraid that you two would act like this!" Luka explained rather noisily. Lucy could even feel the color returning to her face as Luka's words sunk in. She wouldn't have to die, and that was good enough for her.

"So, what do we have to do?" asked the Fire Dragon Slayer. Lucy whipped out the Universal Key and looked up at Luka expectantly.

"Yes," was all that she said as an answer. Natsu could swear that there were solid 3-D question marks floating above his head. He was so confused that he would be surprised if there weren't visible question marks.

Luc y practically deflated at the dragon's one word, slumping over in annoyance. She needed the title!

"I know you want to hear the title, Lucy, but I have to explain some things before we go," Luka said with an apologetic expression.

Natsu and Lucy exchanged a quick glance before looking back up at the Elemental Dragon and nodding, signaling for her to continue.

"We'll be going to heaven, but it's not what you think. It's like the Underworld, or the Spirit world," Luka tried to explain, which only left the other two as confused as they were before she said anything.

Luka let out another sigh and continued explaining, because apparently, humans had slow-functioning brains. Luka opened her mouth to speak, but not before she hear Lucy give out an offended cry of disapproval at Luka's thoughts on the human brain.

"We're going to visit some people who have already passed on," Luka said. "It's not like we're going to another _world, _more as we're going to another… realm? Or would the right word be 'dimension'?" Luka said, more than likely asking herself the question.

"Oh, I get it!" Lucy cried out in realization. They were going to the place where all the souls of the dead gathered. So, it was like heaven, but it wasn't necessarily heaven.

"I don't," Natsu said, disappointment sweeping over him. He decided it would be best to just give up and let Lucy take the reins, she was better at it than he was, that was for sure. He always admired her for that, too.

"Alright! Give me a title, please!" Lucy should, pumped up and ready to go. Luka chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"A warning first, once you go there, you can't go back. You'll have to actually die to get there a second time. It's kind of a universal law, since if it wasn't, think of how many people would always be talking to their deceased loved ones?" Luka said, laughing a bit lightly.

Lucy nodded her head, her attitude changing from peppy and excited to serious and excited. Yes, she was still excited and no matter what you did, she always would be. They were going to a place where they would be surrounded by people who had lived their life and gained experience that Lucy could never dream of having herself. There were going to be famous mages who inspired the world and wise poets and writers that lived long before Lucy was ever born. Lucy could only imagine how excited Levy would be if she were going.

"The place we're going doesn't really have a title. You have to open the gate a bit differently, but I know that you're strong enough to do it, Lucy," Luka said with a smile. Lucy was, after all, an amazing Celestial Mage, just like her mother.

"Okay," Lucy said with a quick nod of her had. "Tell me what I have to do." Lucy was feeling determined. She liked a good challenge as much as the next person, especially when it came to her magic. She wasn't like Natsu, the idiot who tried to beat the crap out of Gray to test his own strength. She was the type of person who waited for the challenge to present itself.

"First, you have to ask for permission to enter through the gate. The Afterlife realm is different than other worlds," Luka explained. Lucy nodded as she took in the information, as if she were scribbling down notes in her head as the dragon spoke. What she said made sense so far. It would be best no to disrespect the dead in their place of eternal rest.

"Other than that, there really isn't a specific way to open the gate," Luka said a bit nervously. She was well aware of the blonde's wrath and didn't want to be the one to have to deal with Lucy when she let her emotions take over her magic.

Luka could just imagine the scene: Lucy engulfed by her flames, cold ice spreading across the ground from her feet as her sky magic caused her hair to furiously whip around in the hot wind. A dark, storm cloud would form above the blonde as her water magic pulled all the water in the air to her, the heat of her flames causing the small drops to evaporate into steam when they got near. There was no telling what her earth magic would cause, and that thought made Luka visibly shudder.

"Hey, stop daydreaming!" Natsu shouted up at Luka playfully. The dragon snapped out of her thoughts and simply shook her head slowly, her eyes still wide in terror at the scene that played out in her mind moments ago.

"That was… a nightmare!" Luka yelled out in a shaky whisper. You know, the kind you hear in the scary movies where everyone is hiding from a murderer or monster and one of them starts losing their mind so they start freaking out, yelling in whispers because, even though they're losing their sanity, they still have some sense of self-preservation.

Lucy smirked smugly at her dragon. During training, she'd managed to force her way through the block in their mental connection. Lucy could hear Luka's thoughts once more, and Luka could only hear the thoughts that Lucy wanted her to hear.

"Yes, Luka, be very afraid of suffering my emotion-induced wrath of rage," Lucy said with amusement. Luka shuddered again and Natsu just took a few steps away from his friend. True, he loved her to death, but he didn't want her to be the cause of his death. He hadn't gotten the chance to tell her that he loved her yet, and he sure as hell wasn't going to die before he did that.

Lucy giggled at the reactions she gained from the two. How did she always end up meeting the strangest and least sane people… and creatures? Well, she wasn't exactly the sanest person on the planet either, but she usually blamed that on the rest of her friends in Fairy Tail.

"Oh, well," Lucy said with a shrug. "I'm always up for a good challenge," the Dragon Master said with a smile.

It wasn't silent while Lucy thought of a way to open the gate. Natsu had scooted closer to Luka and asked her what she'd seen in her 'nightmare'. Lucy could hear Luka explaining, in detail, the horrifying scene that had played through her head.

Lucy was never one to boast about herself or to show any indication of arrogant pride, but she couldn't help the smug smile of satisfaction that grew on her lips. As Luka described Lucy in her moment of rage, out of the corner of her eye, Lucy saw Natsu's face pale and he shuddered in fear out. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself. The description that the dragon was giving made her sound ten times as scary as Erza, and for once, Lucy didn't' feel so useless and weak.

Lucy shook her head slightly, dragging herself away from her thoughts of pride and back to trying to figure out how to open the gate.

'I have to ask, so that part is kind of a given. I just need to figure out who I have to ask,' Lucy thought as she plopped down onto the soft grass that blew in the breeze. Lucy made a mental list in her mind.

'It could be the gate itself I have to ask, or maybe I have to ask God or something. Could it be that I have to ask the key to allow me to open the gate? No, that just sounds ridiculous.' Lucy propped her elbow on her knee and rested her head in a cupped hand as she continued making her list.

She could've smacked herself so not thinking of the answer sooner.

'Duh! I have to ask the people who are in that world! If I didn't, it would be like Natsu coming into my house without my permission… and through the window no less.'

Lucy hadn't noticed that Natsu had made his way over to her. He watched as she contemplated the possible ways to open the gate to a realm filled with dead people. Natsu almost couldn't wait to see what the place looked like. He imagined a dark, gloomy place filled with zombies and ghosts. As creepy as it would be, Natsu thought that it sounded awesome.

Lucy's face lit up with excitement as she shot to her feet, startling the pink-haired Dragon Slayer.

"I think I got!" Lucy shouted happily. Taking a deep breath she held the key out in front of her and spoke out loud yet softly.

"Do you think she can open it on the first try?" Natsu asked quietly. Luka nodded at him and gave him a smile.

"Of course she can," Luka responded with certainty.

"I call out to those beyond this world, to those who rest in the realm of Afterlife; please, I ask that you open the gate and grant us permission to enter your world," Lucy said as a bright circle of light glowed beneath her feet. "May we pass through the gate?" Lucy called out. The light grew brighter and Lucy smiled to herself.

She felt stupid saying the words the way she had said them. But, it looked like it was working; at least, she hoped it was working.

Before she knew it, the gate was open. It sat before her glowing brightly. She let a wide grin take over her features.

"She did it," Natsu said quietly with a smile. He didn't doubt her, but he knew that Lucy had doubted herself.

"Yes she did," Luka confirmed. She knew that Lucy would get the gate open. After all, there were people on the other side of that gate were expecting them.

"Let's go!" Lucy shouted happily. They entered the gate and took in the sight that sat before them.

It wasn't dark and gloomy like Natsu had thought it would be. In fact, it was bright and sunny. No wonder it was like heaven for spirits.

The scenery was simple, yet breathtaking. If you ever tried to think of what Heaven looked like, you'd think of clouds, bright, white lights, and a big, golden gate. To put it simply, that _is _what it looked like, but just saying that would never do it justice.

The clouds were a fluffy white in some places, while in others it looked like the sun was setting, casting hues of purple, orange, pink, yellow, and red. It looked like glitter was floating around in the air, giving the place an enchanting and mystifying aura of beauty and magic.

"Wow," Lucy breathed out in amazement. Luka made her way to a rather soft looking patch of clouds and laid down, making herself comfortable.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" a female voice asked, causing Natsu and Lucy to jump in surprise. The two turned to face the source of the voice.

Lucy's eyes widened as she took in the sight of a beautiful woman with long, bright, pink hair. Her dark, onyx eyes glittered in the light as she sent the two a warm smile. She wore a simple, white sundress with spaghetti straps. The hem fell just above her knees and flared away from her body. The woman was taller than Lucy was, but shorter than Natsu by a mere inch. She looked like she was in her early thirties at least, but her features didn't really show any hints at her real age.

"Follow me," she said with a soft, sweet voice. "We've been expecting you," she said with a small giggle. She reached out her small, delicate looking hands and wrapped them around the two teens' wrists. "Come on," she shouted excitedly as she began to drag the two with her. For such a dainty looking person, she had a strong grip.

The two let out yelps of surprise as the woman continued to drag them toward a brighter light. Lucy wondered why the woman's behavior seemed so familiar, but her thoughts were cut short when she had to shield her eyes from the blinding light.

"What the heck?" Natsu shouted out. The next thing they saw was a field of flowers and a bright blue sky.

"What about Luka?" Lucy asked, speaking to no one in particular, just hoping for an answer.

"Lillian?" another female voice sounded. Lucy felt her heart race about a million times faster in that instant. She knew that voice. She knew it so well.

"Mama?" Lucy called, looking around. Sure enough, there she was.

Layla sat on the ground twirling a flower between her fingers. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a loose bun and the free strands fell around her face. She wore a white, loose and baggy blouse with sleeves that cut off and rolled once at her elbows. Her jean shorts hugged her leg loosely and stopped just below her mid-thigh.

Lucy recalled the outfit as the one her mother usually wore when she worked in the gardens. Lucy had always loved tending the gardens with her mother, which is why she remembered the outfit so well.

"Lucy," Layla greeted with a smile as she prepared to take a step forward. Lucy wrenched her arm out of the other woman's grasp and flung herself at her mother full force.

"Mama!" She shouted happily as she embraced her mother. Layla wrapped her arms around her daughter in return and held her close. She had missed her daughter so much, and seeing her now made Layla so happy.

Natsu smiled at the two blondes that embraced each other. He could only imagine how happy Lucy was to see her mother again. He'd also get the chance to meet Lucy's mother. That thought brought him back to the woman who was still grasping his wrist like her life depended on it.

She looked like she had tears in her eyes and Natsu figured that it was just because she was so moved by Lucy's reunion with her mother. But, he could help but feel like he needed to comfort the woman. She was just so familiar and Natsu couldn't quite put his finger on it. He felt comfortable and safe with her there.

"Natsu," the woman whispered, her lips quivering as she spoke. The woman sniffed and hiccupped as she began to sob.

"Hey, are you alright?" Natsu asked with concern. The woman looked at him with wet, glistening eyes and began to sob even harder, her grip on his wrist tightening. Layla walked over and set a comforting hand on the woman's back while Lucy sent Natsu a confused look.

Layla pried the woman's hand off of Natsu's wrist and walked her over to where she had been sitting when they first arrived and where Lucy was sitting now.

"Lillian," Layla called out in a persuading tone as if to convince her to stop crying. "Lillian, come on! You can't just expect him to remember you just like that!" Layla said, trying to comfort her friend and convince her that everything would be fine.

'So I do know her,' Natsu thought as he made his way over to where all the other women sat. He somehow knew that he did, but he just couldn't remember. Now, he _had _to remember. How else was he going to stop his mother's tears?

It clicked. Tears stung at his eyes and a frown of guilt spread across his face. How could he be so stupid as to forget _her?_

Without thinking, Natsu flung himself at the pink-haired woman, causing them to end up lying on the ground, Natsu holding her tightly as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Lillian's eyes grew wide with surprise as she pushed herself up into sitting position. Natsu was still clinging to her tightly.

"I'm so sorry, mom!" he choked out in a broken yell. Lillian wrapped her arms around her son comfortingly as she ran her hands over his hair soothingly.

"It's alright, sweetie," Lillian cooed against his hair, pressing her lips to the top of his head. "I'm the one who should be sorry," she choked out, trying to hold back more sobs that threatened to erupt. Natsu lifted his face to see her and looked at her confused.

"I'm… so sorry, Natsu," Lillian said before breaking down into more sobs.

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**END NOTE: There you have it. How was it? Was it confusing? If it was, let me know and I'll try and clear some of it up for you. I hope you love me enough to review, because, honestly, this chapter never would have happened if I didn't get the reviews on the last chapter. :) Originally, I hadn't planned on Natsu's mother showing up in the story, though I had thought about it. Thanks to the many reviews relating to the subject, though, I decided that I wanted Natsu's mom to be in here after all. She doesn't play as big of a part as Layla does, but still. **

**Who else was overjoyed that Lucy got to live for another chapter in the manga? Have you heard the rumors of what's going to happen? I already said this in another story, but I'll say it here too. **

**Hiro Mashima is planning on KILLING LUCY! That's right! While everyone is fight to get revenge on Sabertooth for what they did to Lucy, the one guy sneaks into the infirmary and kidnaps Lucy and she somehow dies. She'll meet her mother in a dark room or something and her mom will tell her about the One Magic and she shows up at Fairy Tail seven months later. Who wants to help me kill the guy if he kills Lucy? (Not actually going to kill him. Just going to be severely pissed.) Sign up here! **

**V**

**Well, until next time...**

**~Alice-chan**


	23. Chapter 23

**HELLO! I'm changing up my author's note a bit. Why? Because I feel like it. Simple as that. **

**Thank you to all of you wonderful people who've reviewed. This story has almost reached 300 reviews. I'm so excited for it to reach that 300 mark. In case you're wondering, I don't want the reviews just to have the numbers. I want them because they inspire me to keep writing. I love all of the feedback I get and the praise this story gets (along with myself) is really just amazing. The reviews remind me that there are people who read this story and enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Another reason I love reviews is that they're like the proof of my hard work. All the writing and editing and coming up with the ideas and getting them into words that you all really enjoy reading; it's like a reminder, or a notice. the number of reviews kind of jumps out at me and it says, "Hey, look! All these reviews, yeah they're here because you worked your butt off to write a chapter that you thought your readers would enjoy. You worked your butt off, and you did a good job." I don't look at the reviews as just a number and comments that people have. They are so much more to me than that. So, once again, thank you so much to all of you who have reviewed. It means the world to me.**

**I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I told myself that this one wasn't going to be too long, maybe three pages, and look what it turned into. And YAY Lucy got to live for yet another chapter in the manga. Oh and has anyone else figured out the _real _reason the dragons left? I have and I have to say that it's almost funny. It's like "Hey son, I love you, so I'm going to train you then leave and come back almost 15 years later so we can see if you can kick my ass!" LOL XD Oh and I have a VERY IMPORTANT announcement in the end note of this chapter. Enjoy this really long chapter! You all deserve it so much!**

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Lucy watched the two, Natsu and the other woman, Lillian. The sight made her heart melt into a puddle.

"I'm so sorry, mom!" Natsu croaked in a strangled yell. The sentence surprised Lucy, though s he could've seen it coming. As soon as Lucy had laid eyes on the pink-haired woman she knew there was something about her that was familiar. It was everything, the dark eyes, the pink hair, the hyper and excited attitude, the habit of touching other people. Yeah, it wasn't all too surprising. What did surprise Lucy was the fact that Natsu suddenly remembered Lillian.

Natsu had never said anything about his real parents before, so oddly enough, in Lucy's mind Natsu didn't have parents. He had Igneel and Fairy Tail and that was it. Another thing that surprised her was Lillian's apology. What was she apologizing for, abandoning him? Lucy felt like she had a bone to pick with that lady for ditching her son, if that was what she did.

The blonde let her gaze fall back onto the Dragon Slayer and, again, she felt like melting. He looked sad, happy, sorry, and absolutely adorable at the same time. The reunion between the mother and son was enough to make a tear roll down Lucy's cheek. She looked to her mother and saw a few tears streak down her cheek as well. Although Lucy was confused, she couldn't help but be happy for Natsu and Lillian.

Lillian stroked her son's soft, pink spikes.

"I'm so happy that you remember me!" Lillian cried happily holding Natsu closer to her small frame.

"I'm sorry I forgot about you," Natsu sniffled. "I'm a terrible son, forgetting about his own mother!" he shouted through gritted teeth shamefully. Lillian hiccupped a laugh and Natsu looked at his mother, a confused expression appearing on his handsome features.

"You were supposed to forget me," his mother replied. Natsu didn't understand. Why would he have to forget about his own mother, the one who gave birth to him? His eyes were wide in what seemed to be horror. The thought of his mother purposely making him forget her made his heart clench painfully in his chest.

"I'm sorry, but what do you mean?" Lucy asked, no longer able to stay quiet. Her best friend looked like he was in pain; agonizing pain, at that. Natsu looked up at the Dragon Master and rubbed his red eyes free of tears.

"Oh, you come here," Lillian said with a smile as she extended an arm to invite Lucy into her embrace as well. When Lucy didn't move and just sat there looking confused, Lillian decided to explain herself.

"I've been waiting for this day for so long! I can't tell you how much I've missed my son, and thanks to you, I finally get to see him again. Even if it's only for today," Lillian began to sob again and Lucy let the woman pull her into a tight hug, one arm around her and one arm around Natsu.

After another five minutes of sobbing and hugs, Lillian finally calmed down enough to talk. And boy did she talk.

"Lucy, your mother has told me so much about you. I can't believe I finally have to chance to meet you, it's an honor. It really is. Natsu, I can't believe how big you gotten. The last time I saw you, you were just a tiny little baby. Oh, look at you, all grown up and doing your job without even realizing it. I bet you like Lucy. I wouldn't be surprised if you did. If she's anything like her mother then there's no doubt that you two get along. Oh, Lucy I still can't believe I get to meet you! Meeting your mother was the gift of a lifetime but meeting you as well… I just can't believe it. Natsu, you'll have to tell me everything! What guild you're in, about your friends, about any and all jobs you've taken. I want to know everything! How's your magic coming along-"

"Mom, slow down. I can't keep up!" Natsu laughed cutting off his mothers words. She hadn't taken a single breath since she'd started talking. "Before I do anything, I'm going to _properly _introduce you to my friend," Natsu said gesturing to Lucy.

"Oh my goodness, Natsu's going to do something properly. Duck and cover!" Lucy shouted teasingly as she covered her head to further make fun of her best friend.

"Oh, ha, ha, very funny, Luce," Natsu replied with a smile and a roll of his eyes. "Mother, this is Lucy Heartfilia, my best friend and team mate," Natsu said with a smile. Lucy held her hand out to Lillian who took the hand and shook it furiously. She started talking again, but it sounded so run together and… well, like gibberish.

'I'm sorry, I don't speak Gibberish,' Lucy thought rather playfully. There was no way that anyone could _not _tell that Natsu was Lillian's son. There was just no way! They were so alike in almost every way.

"Okay, now, before I tell you any more, I want you to explain yourself," Natsu said sternly crossing his arms over his exposed chest. Lillian ducked her head down shamefully.

"And this is why you two are here today," she breathed out shakily. Layla walked over to them and took a seat on the ground. It was rather a funny sight to see as well, a woman with such elegance and poise sitting crisscross on the ground with such a carefree expression on her face. It reminded Natsu so much of Lucy. Well, she was Layla's daughter alright.

Layla motioned for the others to join her on the ground and they did so without question. They might as well just go with the flow.

"Natsu, Luka told you that you have a purpose for your magic, did she not?" Layla asked. Both Lucy and Natsu looked incredulously at Layla.

"How do you know about Luka?" Lucy asked. Her heart was beating frantically in her chest and she was sure that Natsu could hear it. She could hear it herself. She felt like something big was about to happen, like they were going to learn something that, once it was known, would change their lives forever. There'd be no going back.

Layla sighed and prepared herself for the long explanation ahead. She knew she'd have to explain to them sooner or later. She'd been waiting for this day for so long and now here she was unable to say the words with the ease that she'd hoped she could. Why did life have to be so cruel? Well, it was now or never.

"Luka served me well in life. Her orders from me were to make sure that, when the right time came, you knew what to do," Layla explained.

"Wait. What do you mean orders?" Lucy asked suspiciously and frantically. She felt so anxious. It was like she knew what her mother was going to say, but she'd forgotten the words that were going to be said. It was that gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach that had Lucy so nervous.

With another deep breath to prepare herself, Layla told her daughter what she knew would change Lucy's life forever. It was something that Layla had tried her hardest to keep Lucy out of. But, alas, her efforts were for naught. Now, Lucy was more involved that Layla thought she would ever be.

"Lucy, you're a princess. I mean, you're really a princess. The Dragon Princess, Natsuko." Layla het her daughter's gaze and continued. "Your name given to you by the Elder Dragons is Natsuko. A beautiful baby girl born on a beautiful summer day, you're the heir to my throne."

Lucy felt as if her heart stopped and dropped to her stomach. She didn't know why the words made her feel a sense of impending doom, but they did and she didn't like it. The memory of her swinging from the chandelier, the giant doors that had stood in front of her, where was that? Was that in a _palace?_ Then, what about the other person in her memory that she didn't dare mention to anyone. That blurry image that she could never identify, no matter how hard she tried, who was it?

"The Elder Dragons have gotten… fed up with the idea of humans ruling in a world that they had to create for themselves. Even when I was alive, they looked down on me with hateful glares. When you were born, I knew that I didn't want you caught up in the politics of our kingdom. Leafre was falling into chaos because of the Elders and you were so young; I couldn't imagine you having to take over such business." Layla let out a sad sigh. Lillian stayed silent. She'd heard the story before, but Natsu and Lucy were just struck down with disbelief.

Lucy felt like her throat had just suffered through the rage of a sandstorm. Her mouth and throat was beyond dry yet the nape of her neck and her palms were slick with sweat.

"I had you stay on Earthland with your father as much as I could, which was a lot more often that I could have ever hoped for. They were out for your life. You see, the dragons can't live long without a Dragon Master being present in the universe. That's why they hadn't killed me yet. They needed me to survive, but your magic hadn't developed fully yet, so you were of no use to the Elders. You couldn't help them survive, so they were going to dispose of you the first chance they got." Layla explained with a deep frown. She looked toward Natsu and began to address him.

"This is where you come in, Natsu." Natsu felt his heart race even faster than it already was. He knew Lucy's heart was fluttering away in her chest, and his was now, too.

"I knew of the danger that Lucy would be in, so I wanted to protect her from the Elder Dragons. That was when Luka and Lillian," Layla paused to motion to Lillian, "came up with an idea."

"You and my mom knew each other then, too?" Natsu blurted out in question. Lillian giggled beside him and brought her son into another hug.

"Yes, we knew each other. It was an honor to know the Queen in life and still is even in death. I swear, you thought of her as a second mother the moment you met her. At the time, Lucy was still with her father, so I hadn't gotten the chance to meet Lucy. I never did, but you did," Lillian finished with a smile, her eyes darting from her son to Lucy, then back to her son.

"You're the kid in my memory that I could never remember," Lucy said quietly with a shy smile. Natsu looked at Lucy curiously, waiting for her to explain.

"That memory of me running around that palace, I told you about it, but I never mentioned that there was always this other kid there with me. It was so fuzzy and blurred that I could never figure out who it could've been. All I could see was a moving smudge, but I knew it was a person," Lucy said with a small laugh. It seemed almost silly when she thought about it now. She couldn't remember someone who was sitting right next to her almost all the time. Now that she knew more about her past, the memory was filling in. She could see the detail in the handrail of the staircase that she used to climb up to the chandelier. She could see the pink spikes of the kid she played with as they rolled around on the floor laughing their little heads off.

Lucy's smile grew just a little bit bigger as more of the memory darted into her mind.

"_Natsu!" Lucy called out breathlessly. "Come on! I give up! Let's play something else! You're too good at this game! It's not fair!" the little girl complained. She huffed in annoyance and folded her litter arms over her chest. She looked around and tapped her white flats against the marble floor impatiently. Where was he? _

_They'd been playing hid-n-seek and Lucy had admitted defeat about five minutes ago. Normally, the little, pink-haired boy would jump out of his hiding place almost immediately and gloat about his victory and how he was so good at hiding. There was no bragging this time, only silence. It scared Lucy that her only friend could've disappeared, or worse, left her because he didn't like her. Her childish mind valued the friendship she had with Natsu. After all, Natsu was really her only friend. Sure, she had the servants and maids back at home at the estate and the nice workers in the palace, but Natsu was her only friend that was around her age. He understood the weird little things that little kids made big deals out of. _

_Lucy nervously paced over to the side of the staircase. The palace's layout and design was truly amazing and even Lucy, at such a young age, admired the palace's beauty. By the staircase on either side, there were round tower-like structures that were built into the walls. It was like a classic castle with the towers, only it was like the tower was cut in half and its rounded wall was replaced with a beautiful, tall window that stretched all the way up to the high ceiling. _

_Long drapes framed the large windows. Their elegant shade of light purple enhanced the brightness of the light that came in through the window and cast a light purple shadow when the rays from the skylights shone down on them. There were many skylights placed angularly on the slanted ceiling of the palace's foyer and when the sun set, the foyer was the most enchanting place to be. The light that streamed through the skylight windowpanes, accompanied by the light from the wall-length windows, cast a golden glow over the entire room. _

_When Lucy first came to the palace, it was nearly dark. The sun was setting and it permeated its magical feeling and beauty over the world. Lucy had stepped into the Leafre Palace foyer and stared up at the beautiful streams of light that streaked through the air like a stretched string, so perfect and straight. Lucy could see the specs of dust basking in the warmth of the light as they floated through the air, reflecting the light and shining like glitter. There was a breeze coming in through the giant doors and the small wisps of wind caused the purple drapes to flutter elegantly. It was a sight that one would think could only be seen in a dream. There wasn't an artist alive that could capture the beauty and feeling of the scene, nor were there any writers alive that could use words to capture the look of serenity and feeling of absolute content that enveloped you when you gazed around the room and really took it in. _

_The sun was going to be setting soon and Lucy was worried about where her dear friend could've gone. He'd never seen the palace foyer at sunset and Lucy had said that she was making it her mission to make sure he saw it. _

_Worry flooded the young princess' mind. She didn't even notice the odd, out-of-place shadow that hid behind one of the long window drapes. Lucy turned to walk away from her current location and was going to check the other side of the stairs. _

"_BOO!" a voice shouted. Lucy shrieked in fear and surprise as a pair of warm arms jumped out and enclosed her in their tight hold. Lucy knew that voice though. It was the one she'd been listening for while she paced worriedly for the past seven minutes. _

"_Natsu!" Lucy growled angrily, but inwardly she let out a sigh of relief. The idiot was okay, and that was what Lucy really cared about. But he was a boy and boys were good as playmates and friends, but never as anything more than that. One of the maids had said that to her once back at the estate. The little, blonde, Dragon Princess couldn't tell whether the maid was being serious or not, so she assumed that she was. Even though she had no idea what a boy could be that would be more than a playmate or a friend, she went along with it. _

"_The look on your face was priceless!" Natsu laughed and hunched over to try and relieve the pain in his sides, keeping Lucy wrapped tightly in his arms. _

"_That wasn't funny, you jerk!" Lucy shouted half turning around to give Natsu a good bonk on the head. He released Lucy from his hold and clutched desperately at his sides. _

"_Yes it was!" he cried out breathlessly. He reached a hand up to wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes. "The look on your face when I jumped out, it was the best! It was all like…" Natsu contorted his expression to try and mimic the expression Lucy had worn when he jumped out. _

_Lucy giggled amusedly. She was still mad, but if her face had really looked like his face did at the moment, then she gave him every right to laugh. How could you see a face like that and _not _laugh? It just wasn't possible. _

_Lucy's giggles grew into louder fits of laughter and Natsu laughed along with the princess. The way the little blonde curled up onto herself and clenched at her sides was like a contagious laughing disease. Every time the pink-haired kid looked back to her he broke into another fit of laughter. _

_Lucy couldn't hold herself up anymore. She was running out of breath and her legs were beginning to give out. Her options were to either stop laughing and actually breathe, or just let herself collapse to conserve the energy she was using to try and keep herself up. She chose the latter and dropped to the ground. Tears dropped onto the polished, marble floor and she attempted to look up at Natsu. It was a poor decision on her part. _

_His face was read, not pink like his hair, but red like a tomato. Tears streamed steadily from the corners of his tightly shut eyes as he stopped laughing for a mere second to greedily gulp in a big breath of much needed air. It seemed as though he was having the same problem that the blonde was, keeping his legs from collapsing beneath him. It was a battle that even he couldn't win and he fell, joining Lucy on the floor. _

_They lay next to each other, one with his head closer to the stairs, the other with her head more towards the enormous doors at the front of the room. Lucy turned her head in Natsu's direction to find that his head rested right across from hers. _

_Lucy had no idea how long the two of them had been rolling on the floor laughing for, but she did notice a glittering tint of gold that had enveloped the room. Thankfully, the two had stopped laughing and it gave their aching lungs the rest they so deserved. _

"_Natsu, look," Lucy said softly. She pointed her finger up at the skylights that filtered the golden blanket into the room. Natsu followed her finger, his gaze meeting the soft orange glow that slowly crept into every corner of the room. _

"_Wow," he breathed out in amazement. "You were right; you really do have to see it for yourself to understand." Natsu took in a slow and deep breath then sat up to look around the room. Lucy sat up with him and smiled at the look of awe on her friend's face. He wore another emotion on his expression, but Lucy couldn't identify it. It was like his face was reflecting that unnamed, magical feeling that the room gave you when the sun set on the palace. _

"_I told you. Isn't it the prettiest thing you've ever seen?" Lucy asked gazing back up at the skylights. Natsu's answer surprised her, though. _

"_Nah," he answered nonchalantly. Lucy gasped and gaped at him, eyes wide in utter disbelief. _

"_Well, then what _is _the prettiest thing you've ever seen?" the princess asked curiously. Natsu held his chin in his hand as he shifted his eyes to the ceiling in thought. He smiled wide at her after a moment and gave her the most innocent expression ever. _

"_You, of course!" he replied brightly with such enthusiasm that Lucy swore the room brightened, like his smile was the sun. "You have a really pretty smile, your hair is always so soft and perfect, you're really, really nice, which makes you pretty on the inside, and you're a princess, so that automatically makes you really pretty." _

_Lucy felt her cheeks heat up. She was the prettiest thing he'd ever seen? She couldn't help but feel proud and happy. _

"_Having so many things about you that are really pretty, well, if you put them all together, that has to make you the prettiest thing in the world." He beamed at the young blonde who was blushing furiously at his words. Natsu was so nice. There was nothing wrong with a boy calling her pretty, so she just smiled back at Natsu. _

As the detail of the memory filled in, Lucy smiled almost longingly. Life was so much easier when they were kids. Now, things were complicated and they would only get worse as she traveled further down the path she'd decided to take.

Lucy looked over at her best friend and the smile she wore quickly fell as she took note of the frown he wore. As if reading her mind, Natsu spoke up, voicing his thoughts.

"I don't remember ever being in a palace. I'm surprised I even remember my mom now." His frown deepened and he pulled his brows together. Why couldn't he remember? He knew the memories were there, he could feel them, he just couldn't see them. It was like trying to open a Christmas present that was wrapped thick with paper and strong ribbons that he just couldn't seem to cut through. He voiced his opinion and the thoughts of the metaphorical ribbons.

"You know, Natsu, when you can't get through the ribbons on a present on your own, you usually get scissors to help cut them off," Lillian said with a knowing smile.

"So, you mean I have to find something that will help me cut through so I can remember?" Natsu asked pulling away from his mother. Why had he been holding her for so long? Oh, that's right. He was afraid that she would disappear again, that he would forget her again.

Lillian and Layla both nodded in response to the Dragon Slayer's question.

"We can tell you about all that we know. That may help loosen the strings. You and Lucy also used to love playing together when you were kids. Maybe she can share some of her memories with you and you can fill in the rest," Layla suggested. Natsu nodded in agreement to the plan.

Layla was never one to be impatient. She knew that this was a big deal to Natsu and she could see in her daughter's eyes that if it was a big deal to Natsu, it was a big deal for her too. She would help them address Natsu's memory, but first, she needed to speak about what they'd originally come for. The sooner she told them, the better it would be. They had plenty of time, so Layla mentally prepared herself for possibly one of the most stressful, information-packed, confusing, and incredibly long lectures and conversations that ever existed.

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**END NOTE: that flashback was really long, wasn't it? You already heard my opinion on reviews, so you decide for yourself if I deserved your praise for this chapter. **

**ANNOUNCEMENT! I'll be writing a new story... because I feel like it. The idea came to me at like 3 in the morning. :) I have the first chapter written but it has some blanks. I don't know what I should name the main character and that's a bit of a problem, don't you agree. I posted a poll on my profile on what name I should use. I have some ones that I really liked, so you can choose one of those or even give me your own suggestion. I really need your help with it though. I feel hopeless on the subject. *sigh* Oh well. **

**Random thought. When I get my book published, I should have like two pages at the end of like author's notes to the readers. I really like talking to you guys. :) I feel like it's something I have to do. I also feel that it's important for an author to connect with their readers. Anyways, tell me what you thought of this chapter if you want to. Other than that...**

**~Alice-chan**


	24. Chapter 24

**AN/: Hello! I have exciting news! Not only am I giving you the latest chapter of The Dragon Masters, but I'm also pleased to announce that my newest story in progress, Crossworlds, will be premeiring for the first time ever today! You know of the excitement my new story has caused, and thanks to your support, and help from two of my fellow writers, the idea has transformed into an amazing work of art. Me, Samrit, and Blitzing have spent endless hours working out the kinks and putting everything together, and after all that hard work, it's finally ready! My original idea, written down with the help of Samrit and Blitzing, will be making its appearence soon, so keep your eyes peeled! Also, check out chapter 2 of my story, Author's Notes, for more information on Crossworlds and a list of parinings.**

**I really love this chapter. Though, it's not as long as others, it's still just as good as you expect it to be. Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. This story has almost reached 300 reviews and I'm thinking of do a special chapter when it reaches 300, in celebration of you readers! Thank you for the constant support! Enjoy this chapter, and I hope i get the gift of more reviews. Enjoy!**

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Layla waited patiently to tell the two what they were there to hear. She watched them as they conversed briefly, but decided that the sooner they knew the better.

"Lucy, Natsu, I'm sorry to interrupt, but you _need _to hear what we have to say," Layla said with urgency coating her words. The two teens nodded and they sat waiting for the two women to speak.

"I was talking about how I knew that Lucy would need to be protected and I mentioned that Luka and Lillian came up with an idea," Layla said as a recap. "Well, that idea involved the Dragon Slayers." The blonde woman paused to let the information sink into their minds. She knew that what she was about to say would be a lot to take in. She could imagine herself hearing the news and knew that she'd need time to gather her thought, too.

"The idea was to train young Dragon Slayers that were around the same age as Lucy at the time. Lucy didn't have many friends, so we wanted the people protecting her to at least be friends with her. We all figured, what better way to protect Lucy from dragons than to have Dragon _Slayers _deal with them?"

"So, wait," Natsu said pausing to collect his thoughts. He never got to finish his sentence, because his mother spoke the unasked question for him.

"You became a Dragon Slayer with the sole purpose of protecting Princess Lucy Natsuko Heartfilia, heir to the throne of Leafre," Lillian explained with a fake smile on her face. She let out a sad laugh. "You didn't see a problem with it either. When you were younger, you used to say that you were going to be her protector." The pink-haired woman giggled. "You two really were the best of friends when you were kids."

Layla nodded and smiled with Lillian, agreeing with her words. It was true that they'd been best friends. She thanked fate that they were once again best friends, and maybe even something more. Natsu and Lucy had been the best of friends, as close as any friends could be. Natsu used to tell Layla about how he would grow up with Lucy and never let anything bad happen to her. The queen truly believed that, that would be the case. She wanted that more than anything, too. She couldn't think of anyone better to be at Lucy's side to rule Leafre. But, that all changed after her death.

"There were three of you who were going to be assigned as Lucy's bodyguards. It was you, Gajeel Redfox, and Wendy Marvel," Layla explained. "I adored you all, but you, Natsu," Layla said pointing at Natsu with a smile on her face, "Were going to be her personal protector." Layla smiled warmly at her child. "Lucy trusted you the most, and in fact, only trusted you. Wendy was too young to really gain her trust, and Gajeel scared her." Layla giggled again.

"What happened?" Lucy asked speaking for the first time since her mother had her explanation.

"Well, it was something that I never expected to happen. It caused all of my plans to come to a screeching halt," Layla said with an ever deepening frown. "I fell ill with a fatal disease. The dragons that trained the Slayers were criticized by the Elder Dragons. It was I who allowed them to stay in the human world. I protected them from the Elders, which in turn, protected Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy."

"Igneel, Grandine, and Metalicana knew that by following Queen Layla's orders, they would be defying the Elders. They took that chance, though, and often had secret meetings with each other and Luka at night about the progress of training and the latest news on the Elders actions," Lillian said taking over for Layla for a moment.

"Hey, where _is _Luka?" Lucy asked noticing the absence of her dragon.

"She knows this story far too well. When we're done here, you'll go back to her. But, I don't feel the need to reopen old wounds." Layla frowned in guilt and despair.

"When I died on July 7, everything fell apart. My untimely death gave hope to the Elders and they chose to strike," Layla informed.

"That night, Luka took the news to Igneel, Grandine, and Metalicana. It wasn't safe for you kids anymore, so they had to protect you. The Elders sent their lackeys after the dragons that 'betrayed' them and decided to deliver punishment. "Lillian took over for Layla at that point. She didn't' remember what had happened, seeing as she was dead when it happened.

Natsu's eyes were wide in horror and Lucy's were drowning in guilt and sorrow. Lucy couldn't believe that so much had happened because of her. Igneel disappearing was all her fault, him forgetting about his mom was all her fault!

Natsu couldn't believe what he was hearing. All the information he'd heard was jumping around his head, never staying still long enough to fully grasp what each piece meant. He knew Lucy when they were little. He was trained to protect the Dragon Princess, Lucy Natsuko Heartfilia. Lucy was the princess. Her mother was the queen. Layla and his mother were friends. Igneel and the other dragons were going against the Elder Dragons. The queen protected not only the dragons, but the Dragon Slayers as well. Igneel and the other dragons were punished for helping Queen Layla and for protecting their children.

He knew what it all said, he just didn't know what it meant. His confusion only increased when his mother began to speak again.

"The dragons were ordered to reveal the location of their Slayers. The Elders felt that they, too, were a threat to the kingdom. When they refused to tell them, they were taken in and charged in front of the Elders. They all feared that their punishment would be death, but it is a terrible sin for a dragon to kill one of its own kin." Lillian said with a shaky voice.

"They were banished into different worlds for an eternity," Layla said angrily through her teeth. "They never wanted to leave you, Igneel never wanted to leave you, Natsu. No parent ever wants to leave their child behind."

"After her mother's death, I quickly had her sent to Earthland to stay with her father. The Elders wouldn't have killed her, but they wouldn't have been very nice to her either," Lillian said, taking over for Layla once more. They seemed to be taking turns explaining the story.

"When Lucy left, you were so worried about her. All you talked about was Lucy, wondering if she was safe, wondering where she was, wondering if you'd ever see her again," Lillian said, guilt seeping into her words. "You cared for her so much."

Natsu was still confused as to what everything meant. The only thing he could do was hold on the information and sort through it later. He stole a glance at the girl he loved so much. Thinking about it now, having such a strong bond with the blonde when he was younger didn't seem so farfetched. He had such a strong bond with her now that it was completely possible that there had already been a bond there to begin with.

"It wasn't safe for you to be with me anymore, Natsu," Lillian continued. "The Elders knew I was in on everything; that I was close to the queen. It put you in danger. I knew you would never leave me willingly, so I…" Lillian hung her head shamefully. "I was selfish. I wanted you to be as far away from danger as possible, which meant being as far away from Lucy as well. I thought of sending you to live with her and her father, but the Elders were looking for her. I decided it was safest for all the Dragon Slayers if they forgot everything about the queen and her daughter. Especially you, Natsu." Lillian looked down at the ground with guilt. She never wanted to make her son forget about the most important things in his life, but she wanted him safe. It was a mother's first priority to make sure that her children were safe.

Since no one was there for Wendy, Gajeel, and Lucy anymore, Lillian felt that she needed to take them in; take responsibility for them, keep them safe. She'd picked through her son's memories and pulled anything of her, Layla, and most of all, Lucy, from his mind. He'd forget everything about his favorite, little blonde, and he would forget everything about Lillian. It broke her heart to do that to her son. She knew that he was strong, strong enough to make it through almost anything, but still her motherly instincts told her that it was her best option.

Lillian had to sort carefully through Lucy's memories. Lucy was a princess, her mother the Dragon Queen. There were little things that could've tipped the girl off, if she remembered something, all of Lillian's hard work would be for naught. She'd remember everything.

"Natsu, Lucy, I suppressed your memories. Anything about Leafre, me and Layla, each other… I wanted you to be safe. I was selfish," Lillian said quietly. "I left one blurry memory for Lucy. A single memory that could've unraveled it all, but I left nothing for you, Natsu. I didn't want anything to happen to you… I- I'm sorry… Natsu," Lillian finished with a tear slipping from the corner of her eye.

"Leafre fell into chaos and now you two have to fix it. I believe that only you two have the power to fix the problems that were created by my death," Layla said, taking the spotlight off of her dear friend Lillian for a while. She needed to cool down before she broke again. Just because they were in heaven, didn't mean they couldn't feel any pain.

"We have to fix everything? Me and Natsu?" Lucy asked in shock. When her mother nodded in reply, Lucy couldn't help but ask the most obvious question in her mind. "How?" Her mother's reply, though short and vague, told her almost everything she needed to know.

"You have to take control."

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**END NOTE: Dramatic cliffy, ne? I felt kind of spaced out while writing this chapter, so let me know how I did. I've been working on Crossworlds so hard that I think it fried my brain. Since I'm in charge of the whole opporation, and yes editing too, I've been stressed about making it perfect. Tell me, are you excited for the premier of Crossworlds? I really want to know how many people are excited for this, because I know I'm excited to show it to the world. Well, you know the routine, read, review if desired, and then whatever you do afterward. **

**Oh, before I forget, I'm proud to announce that the winning name of the Character Name Poll is... Allie (Alice)! Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote. So, other than that, I hope to hear from you! **

**~Alice-chan**


	25. Chapter 25

**AN/: HEEEY! It's been a while.. well that's what it feels like to me. I promised a special chapter once the story reached 300 reviews and lookie here! It has! *blows on party blower and uses confetti popper thingy* TADA! Here is a LONG chapter for you guys. It's not the longest chapter I've written, but it's long. It also has a lovely surprise at the end for all of you awesome NaLu shippers out there. So, dive in and enjoy this chapter!**

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"T-take control?" Lucy asked as if she wasn't sure that those were the words that were actually said. Take control, her and Natsu? Was that what her mother was really telling her? Did she really have to do something that drastic and risky? And what exactly did she mean by 'take control'? What was it, a rebellion, a revolution, a _war?_

Layla nodded in reply. Lucy noted that her mother looked rather worried and apologetic. She also saw, out of the corner of her eye, that Natsu looked quite… detached. He looked like he was somewhere else entirely. Lucy figured that he was probably thinking about everything that they'd heard.

If Lucy knew Natsu, and she did, he was still trying to set everything in his mind straight, like sorting through a countless number of cluttered and disorganized filing cabinets. Even Lucy herself was still trying to put everything where it was supposed to be. The idea of her and Natsu taking control in Leafre had been successfully put into the category of things that were currently frying her brain. How was she supposed to take control of her supposed 'kingdom' if she was still training and learning to master the elements of her magic? Heck, maybe everything she'd been hearing was all just some part of a crazy, elaborate dream that was determined to drive her crazy.

But, then again, that wouldn't quite make sense, would it? Lucy knew that dreams were just compilations of thoughts and memories that the mind pulls from your subconscious. It dragged randomly selected things from the mind and mashed them together to make a dream. That's what could make a dream crazy or realistic, or even both. They could be funny dreams, memories, nightmares, wishes, or just downright confusing.

Lucy knew that it was no dream. If it were a dream, she must have been sleeping for ages and she must've known things that she didn't know she knew. No, it wasn't a dream. She knew what a dream was. She knew what her dreams were. Sure, she didn't always remember all of them, but she could easily remember one…

One dream… how could she remember one dream so vividly by simply dancing around the subject in her mind? The dream of her and Natsu… together; that glorious dream where he'd serenaded her on their 'anniversary' was the one dream that, once she started thinking about it, it wouldn't leave her thoughts easily. Then there was that one incident that Lucy would never forget, no matter how hard she tried: their first kiss.

Lucy couldn't understand why she was thinking about _that _at the moment. Of all things, her first kiss with Natsu was what she was thinking about. She supposed it was better than thinking about taking over in Leafre.

The blonde suddenly realized that, somewhere in all the chaos, she'd forgotten about discussing that with Natsu, their kiss, what it meant. Perhaps, after they got out of Heaven she would confront him about it. But, what if he wasn't ready to do that? What if he didn't know why he'd kissed her? Did she even know why she kissed him back? She knew, well, somewhere in herself, she knew why, but she didn't consciously know. She hadn't really given it too much thought.

"Lucy?" the deceased Dragon Queen called out in question. Her daughter had spaced out for who knew how long in thought. What was she thinking about? Layla could see, however subtle it was, a light tint of pink on her little princess' cheeks. So, she was thinking about _him_, was she? If Lucy hadn't snapped out of her daze Layla would've let out a soft giggle. She'd always known that Natsu and Lucy were meant for each other.

"Yes, mother?" Lucy said almost emotionlessly. How could she have been dragged so deep into thought?

Lucy looked troubled by all the things that had been happening. Layla took pity on her daughter. Instead of teasing her about thinking about her beloved Natsu, she simply gave the young Dragon Master some comforting words.

"You don't have to worry about everything all at once, Lucy dear," she said with a tender smile gracing her lips.

"B-but…" Lucy began. How could she not worry about it all at once when there was so much to worry about?

"You don't have to parade into Leafre and overthrow some kind of power-crazed tyrant, Lucy. You just have to enter your kingdom and put your foot down; show them who's really in charge. Remind them, that without you, they can't live," Layla said with an encouraging smile. "And Lucy, you can do that _after _training," she finished with a smile.

Lucy smiled at her mother appreciatively. Her mother had always known what to say and do to make her feel better. Relief washed over the blonde mage as her mother's words sank in. Those words weren't too hard to take in, and were something that Lucy was more than happy to take into consideration. She could finish her training before she had to face a bunch of human-hating dragons.

Natsu was indeed lost in his thoughts. There was, after all, so much to think about. His memories were one thing. How could he have been friends with someone as amazing as Lucy when he was a kid and then forget about her? How could he have forgotten about the girl that he had come to love with all his heart? And his mother, how could he forget her? He knew _why, _he just couldn't believe it. And if he'd forgotten about his mother and Lucy, then how come he didn't forget about Igneel?

Natsu didn't know how long he'd been silent, but after a while, he finally voiced his thoughts.

"How come I remember Igneel? If you took away my memories of you and Lucy, then how come I still remember Igneel? I was still training with him at the time, right?" the pink-haired teen asked his deceased mother. Lillian sighed before answering.

"I picked through your memories. I didn't take them away, I only suppressed them. You still have them, you just need to bring them forth," the pink-haired woman explained to her son. He still looked confused, so Lillian let out another sigh and laughed lightly.

"Picture it like this," Lillian began, "you remember me, but you can't. It's like when you meet a new person. You remember them, but sometimes you can't. They're there, but they're just hiding." Lillian looked hopefully at her son, hoping that he would understand what she was trying to say.

Natsu nodded slowly.

"So, I just forgot about you and Lucy, or couldn't remember you as well as I could remember Igneel?" Natsu asked trying to see if he'd understood what his mother had explained. Lillian nodded in confirmation. Natsu nodded too, more to assure himself than anything else.

It was awkwardly silent for a moment. Natsu had only caught a small portion of what Lucy and her mother had been talking about. It was something about taking over, but he didn't quite understand how that had to do with what _he _was thinking about at the moment. It was something that he'd worry about later.

"So, what now?" Lucy asked a little awkwardly. "We know what happened and all that stuff, do we go and tell Wendy and Gajeel? Do we need to do anything with their memories?" Lucy asked trying to piece a mental puzzle together. What were they supposed to do now?

"You'll have little to do with their memories," Lillian answered. "But, you should tell them of their purpose. When the time comes, they'll be able to help you."

"Here's what I suggest doing," Layla chimed in. "go back to your guild and tell them everything about yourself. Tell them about me, Natsu, Wendy, Gajeel, the dragons, your kingdom, what's going on; tell them everything. I'm sure that Fairy Tail will be with you two every step of the way," the late Dragon Queen said.

Natsu and Lucy nodded, notifying the two women that they understood.

"Lucy, continue to train. You have many friends that would lay down their lives for you, but rely on your own strength before anyone else's. Rely on your comrades' strength to help you get up after you've fallen, not before you've given it your all," Layla instructed. Lucy nodded firmly, taking her mother's words very seriously.

"During that time, take time to help unlock Natsu's memories, Lucy. You're probably the only one who can. And restore the rest of yours as best as you can. Natsu may also be able to help you, though I'm not sure exactly how much," Lillian said.

"I understand, but how will we know what to do? This… this is all so much," Lucy said, her voice shaking with fear as she thought of all the things that could go wrong, all the things that could happen.

"Lucy," Layla began, stroking her daughter's cheek gently and lovingly, "I know that you can overcome whatever life throws at you. You'll know what to do when the time comes," she said with a gentle smile.

Lucy wanted to grimace at the words, but she didn't. Instead, she smiled back at her mother. Though the words her mother spoke were beyond cliché, she knew that her mother wouldn't have said them if they didn't hold some sort of truth. Really, Lucy had read that line over a million times in the dozens of novels she'd read during her life. Every time she read those words she rolled her eyes. Couldn't the writer think of something more original to say? But, she guessed that some phrases would never die out, no matter how cliché they were. Like the phrase 'are we there yet?'

"You two should get going now. You have many things to do," Lillian said with a light chuckle. The two mothers embraced their children in tight, warm embraces before a blinding light enveloped them.

They didn't know how it had happened, but when the light faded, they were back in Magnolia. Their mothers were gone, Luka was nowhere in sight, and they were beyond disoriented. They were in the clearing in Symphonia Forest, the setting sun trickling through the trees and casting a brilliant shine over everything. The crystal-blue waters of the waterfall and pond now looked like glittering, liquid gold.

"What happened?" Natsu asked looking around in a daze. One second he was in his mother's arms, the next he was back in Magnolia.

"I think they sent us back," Lucy said also looking around. The scenery was gorgeous, almost rivaling that of the sunset in the palace foyer in Leafre. Oh, if only Natsu would remember that day when they watched the sunset together.

Lucy flopped to the ground and laid back on the soft grass, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply before reopening her eyes and gazing over at Natsu.

"You know, the sunset here almost reminds me of the sunsets in Leafre," Lucy said averting her eyes from Natsu and staring out into the distance, looking into the memory instead of anything around her.

"Really?" Natsu asked curiously. He sat down beside his favorite blonde and began picking at the grass.

"Yeah, I remember once that you'd visited the palace and I'd promised you that I'd shoe you the sunset in the palace foyer." Lucy let out a long breath of air.

"So, I watched the sunset with you in Leafre?" Natsu asked trying to piece things together. Maybe he would remember something if he could just get her to explain everything.

"Yeah, you did, after we laughed our asses off for no particular reason." Lucy giggled at the memory. They were so childish that it was adorable.

Natsu gave her a confused look, so she decided that she would just tell Natsu everything. Besides, if she did, maybe he would remember more or his own memories. What she really wanted to do was talk about that kiss, though. It was glued at the front of her mind and had been since she'd thought of it in Heaven. It would have to wait, though. Natsu would have to come first and Lucy found that she really liked being there for her best friend…

The words sounded so wrong. He seemed like so much more than a best friend to Lucy. But, what else _could _he be? It wasn't like he was her lover. Wouldn't that imply that she loved him?

"Lucy?" Natsu said. Lucy had spaced out and Natsu hadn't been sure if he should've broken into her thoughts. But, he'd opened his mouth already, so it was too late.

"Oh, uh, sorry, I was just thinking. Anyways, we had been playing hide-n-seek. I couldn't find you so I gave up but you still didn't come out so I got worried. I'd walked over by the side of the staircase and you jumped out from behind the curtains and kind of… threw yourself on me," Lucy said explaining the memory to Natsu.

To Natsu's surprise, he began to see the setting filling in, the events taking place in the blank memory. He could see the light purple drapes and the slightly irritated blonde princess. He watched the memory fill in, a young version of himself shouting 'boo' and throwing his arms around a small Lucy. Before, he would have wondered why he chose to throw his arms around her, or most likely, he wouldn't have thought anything of it. He knew, though, that it was because, even back then, he loved Lucy.

"We watched the sunset after we stopped laughing," Lucy chuckled. "We were rolling on the floor laughing until we ran out of breath."

Lucy smiled longingly. What she wouldn't give to see the look on the young Natsu's face again, only on Natsu's face now. She realized that there was something there before, something she couldn't quite put a name to.

"When we watched the sunset, I told you that it was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen. I asked you if it was the prettiest thing you'd ever seen and—"

"I said no, didn't I?" Natsu asked, cutting her off and smiling down at Lucy before looking out in the distance for a moment.

"Yeah," Lucy said breathlessly. A smile grew onto her lips. He was remembering. Natsu was remembering the sunset in the palace foyer.

"I said that _you _were the prettiest thing I'd ever seen," Natsu said. Lucy sat up and smiled warmly at her partner that sat next to her. He remembered what they'd said. She felt so happy that she could help Natsu in such a short time. But there were still other things to help him remember, like his mother.

Natsu wasn't one who knew much about romance; building up romantic moments, flirting and charming girls, like in the romantic novels that Lucy read. He was one to go on instinct, which was what he was doing now. He just hoped that it would turn out well. He didn't think that it would be romantic in any way, though. But, what did he know about romance?

Natsu slid in front of Lucy, climbing on top of her and causing her to lean back onto the ground. His hand caught her back before it touched the ground and he brought the blonde closer.

"I still think you are, you know," he said with a genuine smile. Lucy's eyes went wide. What was he doing? "Only, I think I was wrong. You aren't just pretty. You're beautiful. Everything about you is beautiful," Natsu said as he pressed his forehead to hers. He had positioned himself so that his knees were resting between her legs.

"N-Natsu?" Lucy said questioningly as if asking if he realized what he was doing.

"Hey, Luce, do you remember when we were six and we said anything that was on our minds? You know, when we would say things without really realizing it?" Lucy nodded slowly. Where was he going with this?

"Well, I kind of wish I was six again," he said scrunching his brows slightly. "Maybe then it wouldn't be so hard to tell you that I love you." His breathing had increased its pace and a deep blush painted his cheeks. See? If he was six he would be so nervous after confessing. He'd just go back to playing and being a kid. He honestly had no idea why he was confessing now, but he'd been acting on instinct. It seemed that his instincts thought that it was a great time to confess to Lucy that he was desperately and hopelessly in love with her.

Lucy was blushing about a million shades of red. He _loved _her. Natsu loved her. Her best friend had just confessed to her.

There was that feeling in the pit of her stomach again. Saying 'best friend' just didn't sound right. It wasn't enough. That was when she realized it. She loved him too. That was why she didn't want to call him her best friend. She wanted more than that, she just hadn't realized it. Why had it taken her so long to realize that?

Lucy didn't have time to say anything in response to Natsu's confession. Not that she could form coherent thoughts at the moment anyways.

Natsu pressed his lips against hers gently. Her lips were still as soft as they were the last time he'd kissed her. Only this kiss was different. He loved her and he knew it and that sent a wave of pleasure through him. He cherished those sweet lips; wanted them to belong to him forever. He wanted Lucy to belong to him forever, every single inch of her.

Natsu deepened the kiss, pushing against her warm lips harder. He was surprised when he felt Lucy push back.

Lucy let her eyes slip shut and she kissed Natsu back. Here she was kissing Natsu yet again. She let her arms wind around his neck and pulled him closer to her. She was kissing Natsu, the man she loved with all of her heart. She never wanted to let go of him, afraid that he might disappear. It seemed to be a bad habit of the people in the Fairy Tail guild to disappear.

Natsu pulled away for much needed oxygen and pressed his forehead against hers once more. He had once again kissed Lucy Heartfilia. He had kissed Lucy Natsuko Heartfilia, the Dragon Princess of Leafre, and his best friend. He began to panic on the inside. What if she didn't love him back? But then, why would she kiss him back?

"Lucy, I'll do anything and everything I can to protect you. Not only because it's what I was meant to do from the very beginning, but because I am so hopelessly in love with you," Natsu confessed with a shaky voice. Their breathing was still raged from their kiss and their chests heaved from their labored breathing.

Lucy looked up at Natsu with half-lidded eyes.

"Natsu, I…" Lucy began.

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**END NOTE: How was it? Are you guys gonna kill me because of the cliffy? If so, at least warn me so I can defend myself. I didn't mean for this to be a really really dramatic cliffy, but if it is then oh well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you thought please. You know I love hearing from you guys. If my story, Author's Notes isn't enough proof, then I don't know what else to do... :) Anyways, Crossworlds has been updated again. I suggest reading it. Though it may seem boring now, it'll get a LOT better, I promise! The story is just moving slowly, that's all. Well, until next time...**

**~Alice-chan**


	26. Chapter 26

**AN/: Heeey! Here's the next chapter! I hope you like it. But, kind of a warning in advance, don't hate me! Read through the entire chapter before you start planning your review of death. PLEASE! I beg of you! Enjoy this chapter!**

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"Natsu, I…" Lucy began. Lucy felt like crying, she was so happy. It made sense to her now. The dreams, the kiss, everything; it all seemed to click into place with the fire mage's confession. She loved him with all her heart. That's why she decided to let him train her, that's why she was doing everything to help the dragon realm, Leafre, trying to help the other dragons. It was all for Natsu. She knew that from the beginning, but now she knew why.

"I…" Lucy opened her mouth again, but the words seemed stuck. Why wouldn't the words come out? She knew now that he loved her in return, so why was it so hard for her to confess that she loved him, too?

Natsu suddenly scrambled away from Lucy. It made the blonde jump in surprise. He was mumbling something over and over, gazing at the Dragon Master apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Lucy. I- I don't know what I was thinking," Natsu muttered breathlessly. He seemed so scared, but scared of what? "It's alright if… if you forget everything I just said," he said staring at the ground sadly.

Lucy was taken aback by his words. What was he talking about? Why would she ever want to forget that he told her he loved her? Perhaps it was why Lucy hadn't been able to get the words out of her mouth.

She realized, with a hard smack of reality, that the reason she couldn't say the words was because she was scared herself. She was terrified that it was just a dream; a dream just like the others, so amazing and surreal until she woke up to the real world where Natsu was still completely oblivious of romantic feeling toward the opposite sex. But, this wasn't a dream, it was real, and now Natsu seemed like he hated her. But, Lucy didn't know why.

Natsu abruptly scrambled to his feet and was blushing the deepest shade of red Lucy had ever seen. Lucy stood, too, taking a slow step toward the pink-haired teen.

"Natsu," Lucy began, but Natsu wouldn't hear it. He turned away from Lucy and muttered another apology before taking off into the cover of the trees. Lucy stared after him, unable to move her feet even though her mind screamed at them to move, to follow Natsu.

She stared a moment longer, as if staring after him would make him come back. What just happened? Lucy sank to her knees and bit down on her quivering lip. It didn't make sense! The Natsu that fled from her moments ago, that wasn't the Natsu she knew. No, the Natsu Dragneel that Lucy knew was confident and cheerful, bright and happy. He gave everyone hope even when it seemed that there wasn't even an ounce of hope left. The Natsu that Lucy knew would do whatever needed to be done, no matter what it was, so why was he suddenly running, and from her no less?

Lucy felt a hot tear roll down her cheek. She felt rejected and confused. It hurt, oh, it hurt so much. It felt like there was an empty void where her heart once resided. Even if she hadn't realized it before, Natsu held her heart, and it seemed like, when he ran from her, he took her heart with him.

'I have to stay strong,' Lucy thought to herself as she bit down harder onto her still quivering lip. It was probably just a miscommunication, a misunderstanding between them that caused the tension between them. It had created a tension, and even though they were no longer next to each other, the tension still felt as thick tar.

Lucy chanted in her mind to stay strong. There was a good explanation for the Dragon Slayer's behavior. Lucy wanted to stay strong, but she couldn't help the tears that spilled over and cascaded down her cheeks. She bit down on her lip harder drawing blood this time. The taste of her blood infiltrated her mouth and reminded her of why she was biting her lip so hard. It was a rather painful reminder, building onto the already existing pain. It hurt so much and the pain was now hammering at the floodgates, more tears threatening to spill over at any moment.

She finally broke; she couldn't hold it in any longer. She had to cry it out, let all the pain out through her tears, get rid of the pain so she could clear her mind and think about the situation rationally. Tear after tear rolled down her cheek and dripped off of her chin. She made no effort to wipe the salty drops away, she knew they would just be replaced by more tears, fresher than the ones before them and filled with just as much pain. Sobs wracked through her, causing her small framed to shiver and tremble relentlessly. She hated feeling this weak; she hated it so much, yet she couldn't help it.

Lucy briefly wondered what was going through Natsu's mind, but the thought only brought on more pain to be released through her tears. She quickly dismissed the thought and continued to sob.

Natsu ran through the trees. He felt like an idiot, he really did. Not only did he feel stupid for thinking that Lucy could ever see him as anything more than a best friend, but he felt even worse for running from her. What a coward he was, running from her. How would that make her feel? What was she doing now, chasing after him, cursing his existence, debating on whether she should talk to him ever again?

Natsu felt so weak. He was so scared. He could handle facing countless dark guilds, facing even the toughest opponents without fear, but when it came to the possibility of rejection, he shrank into a useless pile of human flesh. He felt so pathetic! He hadn't even waited to hear what Lucy was going to say to him before he assumed the worst and took off without an explanation of why he did it or where he was going.

He wanted to turn back, to face her like a man and explain, and to listen to what she had to say before he decided it was okay to wallow in self pity. Maybe there was a little bit of hope that she _did _feel the same way he did. Natsu felt a spark of hope rise within him, and he turned to head back to the woman he loved so dearly. But, he stopped. If she did love him in return… what had he just done?

The possibility of Lucy loving him back sent a wave of horror and regret through him. If she did love him, then he just left her in a clearing without an explanation to anything, and after he confessed to her, no less. How would she feel? Would she hate him for hurting her?

Natsu slumped against a nearby tree and tangled his fists in his hair, tugging at it with all his might in frustration. He slid to the ground, tears of frustration burning his eyes as he squeezed his lids shut tightly. He was an idiot, he was such an idiot! How could he be so stupid? He was supposed to protect Lucy, not hurt her! Now, either way he looked at it, he hurt her by just leaving her there. Her hurt her and it was all for his own sake. What a selfish bastard he was! He hated himself so much. He didn't even feel like himself anymore. He wasn't this cowering little wimp that hurt the woman he loved. He wasn't the kind of person who ran from his fear without so much as a second thought. He wasn't what he saw himself as now.

He needed to man up, grow a pair, and face her. Even if he knew she was mad at him, if she wasn't thinking clearly, he had to face her. He didn't want to lose Lucy. He could live with a one-sided love, but he couldn't live without her. You see, he left his heart back in that clearing, and even if the one holding his heart wouldn't give him hers in return, he still needed his heart close. He would die without his heart, and that was why he couldn't lose Lucy.

He had no idea how long he'd sat in a heated self-debate on whether he should turn back and face Lucy, but, however long it had taken to reach his decision, he knew he couldn't back down now. Natsu gritted his teeth in determination. He would face Lucy, and he _wouldn't _turn away from her again.

Lucy sobbed and sobbed. Her eyes were swollen and red and she couldn't even breathe through her nose anymore. She loved Natsu so much and he left her there without saying anything but an apology. That wasn't what Lucy wanted to hear. She wanted to hear Natsu's voice, bright and cheerful, telling her, without any regards to her feelings, to suck it up and try and see the bright side of things.

Even though it sounded strange, the careless, thoughtless Natsu that Lucy knew so well sounded more inviting than the one who left her confused and broken, even if it might have been unintentional. She always found Natsu's cluelessness quite adorable, even if he was insulting her at times. He acted like he didn't know any better and that always made everything okay.

She wanted to hear his voice. He did have a nice voice. It was a voice that could be gentle despite the way it could throw numerous insults and dark, deadly threats at his enemies. Even though he had a twisted way of doing it, he could always manage to make Lucy feel better, to pull her out of a momentary depression. He would make her think about something else, like about how she was going to clean her trashed apartment, or why on Earthland he thought she was a weirdo.

Right now, though, she wanted something that she'd never received from Natsu before. She felt silly wanting it now since it was something that she shouldn't expect anymore. His apology for his confession and him running away should have been enough to tell her, but now more than ever, she wanted to hear him soothing her.

She imagined that if he were to come and wrap his strong arms around her and tell her that everything would be okay, she would believe him without a second thought. She wanted to breathe in his enticing scent and be enveloped by his warmth. She wanted Natsu to be there with her, it just felt so wrong that he wasn't.

Lucy cried harder and to try and ease her pain, as stupid as she felt doing so, she began talking to herself. She mumbled her thoughts and her feelings as if there was someone listening. Even if there wasn't, she still needed to vent.

"I…" Lucy sniffed, "I love him," Lucy admitted out loud. "I love him so much," Lucy cried as more tears stained her cheeks. "I'm just… I'm just so confused," she murmured through her clenched teeth. She felt a blanket of warmth envelope her and, in her moment of desperation, she willing accepted it. She felt so tired; she just wanted the confusion and the pain to go away. That warm blanket that wrapped around her arms and pressed against the top of her head, it began to lull her to sleep. She was so tired from crying so much that she could swear that the blanket began to talk to her.

Natsu had rushed back to where he had abandoned Lucy, her scent was still strong there and he smelled a mixture of salty tears along with her amazing vanilla scent. He could hear Lucy crying, no, more like sobbing in absolute misery. His heart clenched painfully in his chest. He peeked out from behind a tree to take a look at what he was getting himself into.

"I… I love him," he heard the blonde say. His heart kicked its pace up a notch and he continued to listen to her words. "I love him so much. I'm just… I'm just so confused," she said. Natsu gazed at her guiltily. He quietly entered the clearing and made his way to Lucy. She was reduced to a crying puddle and he knew that it was all his fault. He knelt down beside her. He didn't know if it would help, but he had to do something.

Natsu tenderly wrapped his arms around Lucy and pressed his lips to her golden locks.

"I know," he whispered. He knew she was confused. He could see it on her expression behind all the pain and tears. Lucy leaned into him and slowly her sobs reduced to small hiccups every now and then.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy," Natsu said softly as he placed her on the ground next to him. She'd drifted off to sleep, and he knew that was the best thing for Lucy at the moment. He laid her on the grass gently and as soon as his arms moved away from her, she was clutching desperately at them, begging the warmth not to leave.

Natsu obliged to her unspoken request and laid himself next to her, slipping his arm underneath her head to provide a pillow of some sorts. He held Lucy's head close to his chest and wrapped his other arm around her torso protectively. Maybe if Lucy heard how the close contact made his heart flutter in his chest, she would truly believe the words he'd spoken before he shamefully ran with his tail between his legs. He wanted her to believe the words he'd told her, but maybe he'd need to remind her one more time.

Natsu lifted his head and brought his lips to her ear so he could whisper into her dreams, if that was possible.

"Lucy, no matter what stupid things I do, I love you. Never forget that," he whispered before resting his head back on the ground and drifting off himself. He'd have a lot of explaining to do when they woke up, and he knew he'd feel like an idiot telling Lucy about how he was such a wimp. But he'd do it. He would do it for his Lucy.

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**END NOTE: don't kill me! don't kill me! don't kill me! I decided that I wouldn't do what everyone expected of me and so I changed it up a bit. I didn't totally botch it up or anything, don't worry. You agree that it's not all terrible "oh no this is going to cause a major problem in their relationship" right? I can't remember what I was doing, but whatever it was inspired me to change it up into this. Besides, since I wrote it this way, we got to get further into Lucy and Natsu's thoughts. It created some tension and some really cute moments. Like Natsu while he was arguing with himself. :) Anyways, I hoped you liked this chapter, even though it wasn't what you all were expecting. And HEY Lucy still kind of confessed to Natsu, if you think about it. YAY for Lucy and her incoherent speaking to herself! Review please~! if you want to, you know. OH and I put up an announcement on my profile that I think all of my beloved readers should see. Just a bit of a heads up for that. Well, anyways, until next time...**

**~Alice-chan **


	27. Chapter 27

**AN/: Hello once again my dear readers! Thank you for reviewing the last chapter :) I was actually quite worried that people were going to try and kill me for doing that, changing it up. This chapter might be a little confusing. I don't know, I felt a little out of it while writing the first part. I was writing the later half of the chapter while listening to songs from the Fairy Tail: the Phoenix Priestess soundtrack. I'm so excited that the movie finally came out, but now we have to wait for like 6-8 months. They can't sub the movie until it comes out on DVD. I'm personally hoping that they dub it, too. But, that'll probably take longer. Anyways, school starts this week for me, so updates might not come as often... T-T Gomen! But, I'll try and update each and every opportunity I get! So for now, enjoy this chapter!**

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Lucy felt warm, but it wasn't the warmth that had lulled her to sleep. The warmth she felt was different, less loving and more… just there. Cracking her eyes open she saw her ceiling. She was home? When did she get home? Maybe she'd been home the entire time. She felt like everything that had happened was just a crazy dream.

"You're awake," a voice commented. Lucy knew that voice better than anyone else.

"Natsu, what happened?" Lucy asked sitting up in her bed. Her soft, pink comforter fell down from her chest. So that was the fake warmth she felt. Not that it was really _fake_, but she preferred Natsu's warmth.

Natsu sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to gently stroke Lucy's cheek. He looked so sad. Lucy almost laughed because Natsu looked the way she felt. She didn't know if what she remembered was a dream or not, but it didn't quite feel like it. And if it wasn't then why was Natsu in her apartment anyways? He should be avoiding her if he felt he really made a mistake telling her that he loved her. That was generally the type of person he was. He'd let things die down before acting as if nothing ever happened.

"I'm sorry Lucy. I'll explain everything, just…" Natsu paused. His faced twisted into a pained expression as he brushed his thumb under the blonde's eye. "Just don't cry anymore," he choked out.

Lucy felt a tear roll down her cheek. When had she started crying? Lucy quickly wiped her other eye free of tears and turned her head away from Natsu. She felt so embarrassed. Shouldn't he be the one in pain? She hadn't said a word to him in the clearing, he probably felt rejected. So why was she hurting? It didn't make any sense.

"Natsu," Lucy muttered pathetically. She sniffed and continued to wipe her tears away. She felt so weak crying in front of him. She would cry in the middle of a clearing, she would cry at home, but not in front of him. She would even cry in front of Happy, Erza, Gray, Levy, or any other of the guild members. Natsu was the one person she didn't want to appear weak to if no one else.

She felt a familiar, warm embrace. Natsu's strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and head and he pulled her into his chest. One hand comfortingly gripped her shoulder while the other ran in soothing strokes down her soft, silky hair.

"I know, I know," Natsu said in reply. "I have explaining to do, and I'm sorry for confusing you in the first place," the pink-haired teen said quietly.

Lucy buried her face in his chest, accepting his warmth, his scent, everything about him, she accepted.

"I'm sorry I ran from you," Natsu said pathetically. He let his arms drop to his sides and the action caused Lucy to peer up at Natsu. "I was weak and I'm so ashamed of myself for what I did. Only a coward would do what I did, only a coward would hurt the one person he loves more than anything."

Lucy furrowed her brow in worry. Natsu sounded like he was going to cry. Lucy reached up to stroke his cheek comfortingly as he had done for her. Her fingertips brushed against his skin and she jumped slightly in surprise when his hand flew up and gripped her wrist, holding it in its place.

"When you didn't say anything I assumed the worst. I didn't want to hear what you had to say because… I… I was scared," Natsu explained. His last words were quiet and almost inaudible. It was almost as if he was afraid that the words would trigger a trap of some sort.

"I ran because I was scared," Natsu snorted. "Imagine that, me running because I was _scared _of what you might say," Natsu said as he shook his head slightly. Slowly his expression of mock amusement faded and was replaced with shame and sadness. "I felt so weak," he muttered.

Natsu had squeezed his eyes shut tightly. He gripped Lucy's wrist tighter and nuzzled his cheek further into her cupped hand.

"How can I protect you if I can't even stay long enough to hear what you have to say?" Natsu asked opening his eyes to gaze at Lucy. She leaned up against his again and wound her other arm around his neck.

"Don't say things like that," Lucy whispered. She knew that he was just wallowing in self-hatred at the moment. He felt as if he hurt her, no doubt, and Natsu never liked hurting his nakama.

"But, Lucy, I hurt you by just leaving you there…" Natsu trailed off. Lucy sighed and slipped her other hand free from Natsu grip, snaking her arm around the Dragon Slayer's neck like the other one. "I love you Lucy, I really do," Natsu said as he wrapped his arms around her torso.

"And I love you, Natsu," Lucy answered. She'd gotten the words out that time and it made her so happy that they didn't get stuck in her throat. She didn't know what had made it easier to say the words this time, but she didn't question it. She only cherished the moment.

Lucy's words made Natsu feel about a thousand times lighter and he tightened his hold on the blonde, smiling against her hair.

The moment lasted a little while longer before they parted and smiled lovingly at each other. Natsu let out a soft chuckle and Lucy eyed him with playful suspicion.

"What do you think the rest of the guild will think?" Natsu asked with amusement ringing through his voice. Lucy rolled her eyes and laughed with him.

"No clue, but it'll probably end with a party," Lucy replied. Seconds later she was gasping in realization.

"What?" Natsu asked worriedly. Lucy giggled at his reaction. The giggle eased Natsu's a bit and he stared at her with confusion flooding his expression.

"We still have to tell the guild about Leafre and all that," Lucy explained with an amused smile. Natsu smiled with her and nodded in understanding.

"And we have to talk to Gajeel and Wendy, too," Natsu added. Lucy nodded at his words. "I haven't even been to the guild yet. After I ran off I went back to the clearing and I saw you…" Natsu scratched the back of his head before continuing. "I, uh, held you until you fell asleep. Then I kind of… fell asleep. But, I woke up before you and I carried you all the way here," Natsu said with a tint of pink brushing over his cheeks.

Lucy giggled at the sight. Natsu blushing was definitely one of the cutest things she'd ever seen. She thought it was so sweet that he'd carried her all the way home, especially since he didn't have to. The rest of the guild would definitely go wild at the news of their Natsu and Lucy's confession. That thought was what made Lucy realize something she hadn't thought of before.

When Fairy Tail got excited, they usually partied hard late into the night and sometimes even into the next morning. They would all probably be too drunk or distracted to listen to anything else. She and Natsu had important things to tell the guild members, things that they had to remember.

"Natsu, we can't tell them about us," Lucy said with a blank expression, her arms dropping into her lap. "Me and you, they'll be way too distracted to remember any of the important things we tell them," Lucy explained. Natsu frowned at her words.

"You want to keep this a secret?" Natsu asked confused and hurt. He took her hands into his.

"No, just don't say anything," Lucy replied looking into his dark, onyx eyes. "If anyone asks we tell them the truth. But, other than that, I say we keep it kind of… subtle," Lucy said furrowing her brows in self-question, wondering if she'd used the right word to describe her thoughts.

Natsu nodded reluctantly. He understood why she wanted to keep things unannounced, but he was just so happy that he could call Lucy his. He wanted the world to know. He wanted to climb a tall mountain and shout it at the top of his lungs that Lucy Heartfilia belonged to him.

"Fine, if that's what my girlfriend wants then I shall oblige," Natsu said with a smile playing on his lips. Lucy blushed at his use of the word 'girlfriend'. She'd never really thought of herself as being his girlfriend, and she'd never thought of Natsu being her boyfriend. She liked it though, the way it sounded. Natsu Dragneel, her boyfriend; it sounded right. But, since when did he use big words?

"'Oblige'? Where'd you learn that word?" Lucy asked skeptically. He'd even used it correctly in context!

"Oh, I saw it on a page of your book," Natsu said with his signature grin. Lucy glowered at the Dragon Slayer. He read her book? He dared to touch her book?

"Now, now, Luce," Natsu said putting his hands out in front of him defensively, inching away from the seething blonde by the second. "I'm your boyfriend, so it's okay if I see your book, right?" Natsu asked fearfully. Sweat was collecting at the nape of his neck and he swallowed hard.

"No it most certainly is not!" Lucy shouted as she brought her fist down onto the top of his head. Sure he was her boyfriend now, the term even sounded right coming out of Natsu's mouth, but Lucy had promised Levy that she could be the first one to read it. Celestial mages always kept their promises. Yeah, she was the Dragon Princess of Leafre and a Dragon Master, but her first magic had always been celestial magic.

Natsu pouted and rubbed the sore bump on his head. Lucy did have to admit that he did look rather adorable, but it didn't matter. On top of that, Natsu would've had to have seen her book before that day; they'd only been together for a short time. Perhaps Natsu figured that his new title as her boyfriend would save him from her routine punishments. The usual kick for showing up in her apartment unannounced, and coming in through the window no less. Then there was the kick for touching her stuff that Natsu would often get. The usual things that he did would often result in getting injured in some way by the blonde.

"Lucy," Natsu whined. "Since I'm your boyfriend now I should get perks, right? Like, I should be allowed to see your book and eat your food and come over all the time and stuff," Natsu said still pouting adorably.

"What's the difference? You usually do that anyways!" Lucy shouted at her newly dubbed boyfriend. Natsu cocked his head to the side.

"Does that mean I've always been your boyfriend?" Natsu asked. Although it was adorable, Lucy still shook her head in disbelief.

"My boyfriend is an idiot!" Lucy cried out with dramatic exaggeration. Natsu pouted again before his lips pulled upward into his bright, toothy grin.

"And my girlfriend is a weirdo!" Natsu exclaimed. Lucy froze for a moment before sighing and laughing at his antics. In a way, it felt refreshing to be called a weirdo. Lucy was actually pretty happy that at least that part hadn't changed. She'd liked the relationship she had with Natsu, and she'd been ever so slightly worried that things would change between them.

"You're such a weirdo!" Natsu laughed. "I called you weird and you smiled! You're so weird!"

At his words Lucy's grin only got bigger. So, he was still an idiot, and she was still a weirdo.

'I guess some things will never change,' Lucy thought before shoving the fire mage off of her bed. She smiled playfully at Natsu before sprawling out on her bed, determined to make sure there was no room left for another unwanted 'guest'.

"Well, I guess this bed is for weirdoes only! No idiots allowed!" Lucy laughed. She was happy that the usual antics remained between them.

"Awe, come on Luce," Natsu pouted again. Lucy giggled and denied him access to her bed.

"We have to go to the guild, Natsu. Oh, and stop breaking into my house!"

With a huff Natsu picked himself up off the floor and headed to the window, prying it open and preparing to jump.

"At least use the door, you idiot!" Lucy shouted, but it was too late, he'd already jumped down and landed on the stone ground below. Her dragon-like senses caught the sound of Natsu mumbling about jumping out the window being faster. Lucy rolled her eyes and gathered her things so she could head for the guild.

When she arrived at the guild she spotted Natsu sitting at the bar. She knew he could smell her coming and she smiled when he began to turn to face her. She strode across to the bar and sat next to Natsu and opened her mouth to speak.

"Natsu!" a voice shouted, but it wasn't Lucy's. Skinny, pale arms flung themselves around Natsu's neck and held him as if their life depended on it. Lucy growled at the action and Natsu noticed, but the one the growl was meant for was still oblivious.

"Lisanna," Natsu muttered. He inhaled to speak, but the white-haired girl apparently had a hobby of cutting people off.

"Natsu, I was so worried! I had no idea where you were!" Lisanna shouted with tears collecting at the corners of her eyes.

'I will _not _rip her head off! I will _not _rip her head off!' Lucy chanted in her mind. She wasn't even going to waste her breath on lying; the fact was she didn't want Lisanna all over her boyfriend. Saying she wasn't jealous would be pointless, because for some reason she was, even if it was only a little bit. Lucy knew that she couldn't get mad at Lisanna, though, because she didn't know. Lisanna had a crush on Natsu, Lucy knew that, but Natsu was with her now. She couldn't ignore that, but she couldn't do anything about it at the moment.

"Uh, Lisanna, could you please not cling to me?" Natsu asked awkwardly. Lisanna jumped back a bit, startled by his words. Usually, Natsu didn't mind if she hugged him.

Natsu had taken note of Lucy's very, _very _irritated expression. He knew that Lucy didn't like what she saw. Not only did Lucy not seem to like it, but Natsu didn't quite like it himself. He understood that Lisanna may have been worried, but Natsu could take care of himself. He didn't need her clinging to him as if she was his only chance of survival.

Lisanna stepped away from Natsu, giving him the space that he wanted. She was back from Edolas and she could finally be with _her _Natsu, the Natsu on Earthland. She'd always liked Natsu and she figured that now she could finally have her chance to be with him. Even if it was only for a little bit, Lisanna wanted to be an important part of his life. And besides, from what she'd heard from Natsu about a certain friend of his, he liked someone else a whole lot more than her.

Lisanna remembered something that her older sister had told her when she first got back. "Don't you dare get in between Lucy and Natsu," Mira had said. After hearing those words, Lisanna was quite cautious about trying for her one fleeting moment with Natsu. But, after hearing about all the adventures they'd had together, Lucy and Natsu, their whole team, Lisanna realized that there wasn't a thing that could truly get between Lucy and Natsu. Those two were about as inseparable as the two sides of a coin.

Lisanna vowed that she would at least try for her chance, but little did she know that doing so could cause more trouble than it was worth.

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**END NOTE: So how was it? Did you like the chapter? I feel like the end might be a bit of a cliffy, so sorry if it caused any of you to tear your hair out in frustration. Review about what you thought, what you liked, what you didn't like, random fan-rants about excitement for the Fairy Tail movie, what you had for breakfast... Too creepy? Sorry haha. Anyways, you know I like hearing from you, so until next time...**

**~Alice-chan**


	28. Chapter 28

**AN/: Hello! I'm back! Sorry for the long wait. School has started and things have gotten really crazy. My mom is also taking online classes, so she has to use the computer more often. I hate not being able to update as often as I used to. Well, this is the next chapter of The Dragon Masters. I'm really dragging this story out, aren't I? Oh, and I am putting a new poll up on my profile, so check that out for me, please. This is a shorter chapter, but I hope you all still like it!**

**OMG I went and played paintball yesterday with some of my friends and now I hurt really bad. But, it was totally worth every welt and bruise! It was so much fun! WOOHOO! Who else loves paintball? It's so much fun! Even though I have a swollen finger from getting hit right on the knuckle (It broke skin and I bled T-T), I would gladly do it again!  
**

**Anyways, on with the chapter! Enjoy!**

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"Listen up, everyone!" Lucy shouted. But alas, they were in Fairy Tail and such a noisy guild couldn't be silenced with a simple shout. Lucy stepped up and climbed on top of a table.

"EVERYONE SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!" Lucy screamed. The guild's noise level dropped to zero in an instant and everyone eyed the blonde on the table. "Thank you," Lucy said. Now that she had everyone's attention, she could tell them all about her "mission" she would call it.

"I have some rather important things to explain to you all," Lucy said, further gaining everyone's attention. "You see, during my training yesterday I learned some very important things. I've been given a task and it's important to tell you all, because it'll affect you all, too," the Dragon Master began.

Lucy had the guild's full attention, from the master to the furry Exceeds. Even Natsu, who already knew what Lucy was going to say, sat with his attention fully on his girlfriend as if he'd never heard the news before.

"I'm going to shorten this as much as I can for the time being, any further questions can be asked individually, okay?" The guild members nodded their heads, signaling the blonde to continue. "I was able to open a gate to heaven, where Natsu and I got the chance to speak with our mothers. We learned a lot about our past, but first and foremost, I have to tell you of the upcoming revolution." The guild perked up, one their toes and ready to take action on their nakama's command.

As amazed as many of the guild members were, they knew they'd have their chance to ask questions. Many wondered why Natsu hadn't spoken up with a stupid question yet, seeing as it was something that the rowdy fire mage never failed to do. But, upon hear of Natsu's involvement in things, they figured that he already knew what Lucy was going to say, therefore eliminating questions beforehand.

"It turns out that I'm the Dragon Princess of Leafre, the Dragon Realm. After my mother's death Natsu's mother sent us to Earthland to keep us safe. The same goes for the other Dragon Slayers, but the point is, I have to take control of my kingdom," Lucy explained.

Lucy paused to let the others take in the information. She watched as they tensed and, if possible, focused their attention even more on the Dragon Princess. She was glad that everyone was taking the situation as seriously as it was, she'd been worried that they would laugh it off as a joke. Call her crazy, but even she knew that it was a farfetched tale.

"You can all relax a bit for now; I don't have to take any immediate action. My mother has instructed me to continue training for the time being. This uprising will be against a group of fully grown dragons, so I'll have to be fully prepared to take them on," Lucy explained. Some of the other mages exhaled a breath of relief and slumped in their seat. Others, however, tensed further at the idea of going against fully grown dragons.

"God, there's just so much to say!" Lucy said with an exasperated breath. She'd been doing just fine explaining just a minute ago, but now that she ran through the mental list of remaining topics, she felt overwhelmed. She had to tell them about the other dragons, about why she had to go back after so long. She had to tell the other two Dragon Slayers about their roles as protectors; she had to tell everyone about how they had to work to get their memories back.

"We have to work to get the rest of our memories back," Natsu said suddenly standing and climbing to join Lucy on the tabletop. He smiled gently at the princess and she smiled gratefully. "Not only mine and Lucy's, but Gajeel's and Wendy's as well. We also have to rescue the other dragons, but why don't we deal with Wendy and Gajeel first?" he asked turning to Lucy. Lucy smiled and nodded, jumping off the table and taking a step toward Master Makarov's office.

"Why don't we speak in private, Master, Wendy, Gajeel?" Lucy looked back at Natsu. "Natsu?" The pink-haired teen jumped off the table after her and headed toward the office as well. The other two Dragon Slayers looked at the master and the old man gave a nod as he too, stalked off toward his office. Into the master's office they went. First Makarov stepped in, followed by Lucy with Natsu trailing closely behind her. After them, Gajeel strode into the office looking indifferent, well, more like he didn't care.

Wendy followed them into the office, but she was less than okay. She was nervous, scared, and excited. She'd known that she had some memories missing; it was hard not to know when you're mind held a dark void where the memories _should_ be. She'd tried once before to remember but had no success. Being a healer herself, Wendy knew that she'd most likely need something to jog her memory. She'd need someone who at least knew something of her missing memory. Be it a time, an action, or simply the mention of a name, she'd need someone to give her the first piece of the puzzle before everything else could fall into place.

As the young Sky Dragon Slayer entered the office with the others, she nervously fidgeted with the ends of her sleeves. What if she didn't want to hear what Lucy and Natsu had to say? What if, after she knew the truth, she just wished she could forget it? What if she'd forgotten everything for a reason?

Wendy considered asking if it was good new or bad news that Lucy and Natsu were going to announce, but how would that make her look? It would probably make her look scared and weak, and she didn't want that. She knew that she was a bit weaker than others in Fairy Tail, and oh was she scared, but she was a Fairy Tail mage just like the rest of them. She had to be strong just like them and that meant she had to face her own memories, if that was in fact what they were going to talk about.

Sweat collected on the blue-haired girl's palms. Maybe she was just over-thinking it. Maybe they weren't even going to bring up their missing memories. Could it be that she was getting all worked up over nothing? Wendy took a seat in one of the many chairs that sat in front of the guild master's desk. There were so many things going through her mind that she felt that she was going crazy.

'Pull it together, Wendy!' the wind mage scolded herself. She was a Fairy Tail mage for crying out loud! She could get through something as small as a conversation! 'Just throw all worries away, concentrate on right now,' Wendy commanded herself silently, clenching her fists that sat at her sides.

The door shut, the mages took their seats, and the master awaited the news that Lucy and Natsu brought. The resounding click of the door shutting gave the atmosphere an edge of suspense sending an eerie chill down everyone's spines. The quiet echo cued the start of something that would change the lives of everyone in the room. That one quiet 'click' signaled the end of the life they knew before and at the same time it eerily whispered that there was no turning back. Who knew that one little click could say so much?

"Lucy, Natsu, what is this about?" Master Makarov asked curiously. Makarov sat on the surface of his desk moving a stack of papers that had sat in front of him. Lucy cleared her throat before speaking.

"It's about Wendy and Gajeel's past and their memories, in a way," Lucy explained. Lucy clearly heard Wendy swallow hard and could swear that she heard Gajeel stop breathing for a mere second. Lucy took a deep breath. She figured that she'd probably have to retell the whole story that her mother and Lillian had told her. She could do that, but she didn't really want to. But, did she really have any other choice?

"Our parents," Lucy said pointing from Natsu to herself, "explained to us why our memories are missing. Well, they're not really missing, just hidden," Lucy explained. Lucy took another breath and organized her words in her mind. She would tell the story the easiest way that she could. Though it was a risk, she had to get the words out one way or another.

"First, I'll start by telling you _why _you two are Dragon Slayers," Lucy said motioning to Wendy and Gajeel. The two held their breath in anticipation. "You were meant to protect me, the Princess of Leafre, from the Elder Dragons should the need arise. They didn't like the idea of a human ruling _their _kingdom, so my mother wanted me to be protected by people that I could at least get along with. She didn't want me to be too exposed to all the chaos so she kept me hidden from most people when I was little. She chose humans to protect me so that I could have friends that were around my age. You were trained to be Dragon Slayers because, what better way to protect someone from dragons than to have bodyguards who specialize in defeating dragons?" Lucy said in one big breath. She shakily took in a deep breath and looked to the master to see his reaction.

Master Makarov sat with his eyes wide in amazement. He supposed he should've guessed it, though. He knew that the Dragon Slayers had more to do with the dragons than they thought. It made sense in a way, and he supposed that Natsu had already been informed about his position as a protector, if it indeed was the same circumstance for him as well.

Lucy saw that the other two Dragon Slayers had recomposed themselves from the earlier shock. They hadn't shown much emotion on their facial features, but Lucy had noticed how Wendy's tightly clenched fists fell open lifelessly after hearing the news.

"You were never able to finish your training with your dragons before my mother died. They only reason you were able to train with the dragons for so long was because my mother had ordered the Elder Dragons to allow it. After her death everything was fair game and it was no longer safe for us to stay in Leafre. Lillian, Natsu's mother and personal advisor to my mother, had thought it would be safer to be sent away from Leafre and to forget everything about it. She manipulated our memories to forget specific things," Lucy explained. Wendy and Gajeel showed little change in emotion at that moment, so she continued.

"The three Dragon Slayers that were ordered to protect me," Lucy said pointing to Natsu as well as Wendy and Gajeel, "kept their memories of their dragons and their training, but all other memory of being in Leafre was suppressed. Natsu, however, forgot so much more," Lucy said sadly.

Natsu frowned sadly at Lucy. It hurt him to think that he forgot about the one person he cared about most. No doubt, she felt a bit guilty for forgetting about him, too. But, he couldn't read her mind, so how could he know?

"I forgot about almost everything. I remembered Igneel and my training, but there were days that were completely blank, like they never happened. I forgot about visiting the palace, I'd forgotten about the queen and my own mother… Before yesterday, I couldn't remember the sunset in the palace foyer, and I couldn't remember watching it with Lucy," Natsu said sadly. He smiled sadly at Lucy before almost inaudibly adding, "But I remember now."

"So let me get this straight, Bunny Girl, we were meant to protect you but had to forget about all of that to save our own butts, including yours?" Lucy awkwardly nodded. Did he have to bring her butt into it?

Lucy and Natsu went on to explain how they needed to work to recover their memories while the main guildhall was another story entirely.

The main hall was once again filled with loud chatter. Most of the main discussion centered around the new information that Lucy and Natsu had given them. It was insane to think that Lucy was a _princess, _but they all supposed that it wasn't _that _crazy. They'd all known that Lucy had been raised in a very proper environment. In many ways, Lucy had been a princess. It was how she was raised. The fact that she was actually royalty was what had them a bit shaken. Lucy was the Dragon Princess… since when did dragons become so common around the Fairy Tail guild?

Some guild members were trying to listen in on the conversation in Master Makarov's office, but they quickly figured that another activity would be… _safer. _Erza had forbid everyone from eavesdropping in on the conversation, even though she was quite curious herself. Of the people Erza had shooed away, there was one short-haired transformation mage that had managed to hear a little bit of what they were saying.

Lisanna sat at the bar wringing her wrists in her lap. She'd only heard a little bit of the conversation, but what she did hear made her heart clench painfully in her chest. She'd heard Natsu talking about how he'd forgotten Lucy. She figured it wouldn't have been as bad if it weren't for the way his voice sounded as he spoke.

As Natsu spoke, Lisanna could hear the pain and sadness in his voice. She'd heard how hurt he felt that he'd forgotten Lucy. To top it off, she had no idea how she managed to hear it, but she heard Natsu say that he remembered her now. Again, it wouldn't have been half as bad if it weren't for the emotion in his voice. His words sounded happy and full of love.

Lisanna couldn't miss that bit; there was no denying what she knew. Natsu had spoken those words to Lucy, words filled with nothing but absolute love. It was the kind of love that Lisanna longed for from her favorite fire-eating friend. It was a kind of love that she would probably never receive from him. She didn't' want to feel jealous, but she couldn't help it. She felt so disgusted with herself; feeling such a petty emotion, how low!

Lisanna angrily clacked her fingernails against the wood of the bar counter.

"Lisanna, what's wrong?" Mirajane asked making her way over to where her sister sat. The retired S-Class mage wiped the counter down as she made her way down the counter. Lisanna looked annoyed, and that was never good. She knew her younger sister was a kind-hearted, sweet girl. She didn't get annoyed like that very easily, so it must've had something to do with… Natsu!

"Nothing," Lisanna replied emotionlessly. She was too busy wallowing in self-hatred to particularly take note of her older sister's concern.

Mira eyed Lisanna suspiciously. Lisanna seemed detached and that was _very _unlike her. Finally, Lisanna looked up at her sister and what Mira saw, she didn't like. She knew that cold look in her sister's bright blue eyes. What her sister was feeling was jealousy, and that meant Natsu was involved somehow.

"I'm going home, Mira," Lisanna said suddenly getting up. Before the bartender could say anything in reply the short-haired girl darted toward the door, pushing the wooden barriers open and leaving the building.

Something was very off. Something was very off, and that was very bad. Lisanna was never one to get jealous like that. It had to be about Natsu, there was no other explanation. She could also tell that it was because of Lucy, too. Mira's brows stitched together in irritation and anger. She'd told Lisanna not to try and get in between Natsu and Lucy. Despite what Lisanna might have thought, it wasn't just because she liked Lucy and Natsu as a couple that Mira wanted Lisanna to leave them be. Mira knew that Lucy and Natsu shared each other's feelings, even if they didn't realize it. Even if Lisanna were to try and get between them, nothing would change. But, Lisanna would get hurt.

Mira knew that if her dear sister tried to get in between the couple, she would get hurt. Her heart would be broken and she'd have to deal with the pain. Even if she ended up getting her chance with the fire mage, it would end in heartbreak for both Lucy and Lisanna, only Lisanna would get the short end of the stick. She wanted Lisanna to stay out of it, to stay safe. But, it looked like she'd meddled, and not only was the result strange, but it was very bad as well.

Lisanna _didn't _usually get jealous. It wasn't like her to be jealous. It was more like her to be hurt and heartbroken, which was why her current reaction was so strange. Mirajane knew her sister; they shared the same blood for crying out loud. What Mira saw as Lisanna stormed out of the guild _wasn't_ normal. That _wasn't _Lisanna, and that wasn't good.

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**END NOTE: How was it? Ha ha, I never leave you guys bored, do I? I feel like I just keep adding and adding to the suspense and (I'm chancing this here) awesomeness of this story, don't I? Don't forget to review and let me know what you thought. Or, you can just talk to me, I wouldn't mind that either. ^_^ Don't forget to check out the poll on my profile! **

**Also, to all those awesome Owl City fans out there:  
Have you guys heard Adam's new album? Midsummer Station? I just LOVE it! One of my favorite songs on it is Speed Of Love, but I like the sped up version. It sounds happier :) If you haven't heard about the new album, check it out. As I said, it's called Midsummer Station. The album cover is pretty amazing, too! Well, until next time...**

**~Alice-chan**


	29. Chapter 29

**AN/: Hey there! I'm updating super late! Oh my dear goodness gracious I am tired! But, I managed to get this chapter written. It's kind of short, but I think it's pretty good nonetheless. You'll have to let me know what you think of it after you read it. Btw, how many of you actually read my author's notes? I bet you guys are excited to read this chapter, huh? Well, I'm gonna shut up so you can read it now. Enjoy!**

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"Hey Luce, let's go on a mission so you can get in some practice with your magic!" Natsu suggested happily. Lucy smiled brightly and nodded in agreement. Since they'd begun "dating" not much had changed. Lucy was grateful for that. Natsu was still his childish, lovable, rambunctious self. And no matter what, they would still be nakama for life.

Lucy and Natsu ran over to the mission board and scanned over the requests. Natsu spotted one that was just what he thought they needed.

"Let's go on this one," Natsu said holding out the paper for Lucy to see. Lucy read over the request and frowned at it. It said: Defeat and catch two troublesome mages hiding in the mountains.

"What's wrong, Luce? You don't like this one?" Natsu asked confused. Lucy smiled sweetly at him before answering.

"It's just that it could be dangerous. I'm not that experienced with my Elemental magic yet, could we do something smaller?" Lucy asked shyly. She didn't want to appear weak in front of Natsu, but she didn't' want either of them getting hurt.

"Oh, don't' be ridiculous. We'll be fine! Plus, I'll be there to protect you if they're stronger than we thought." Natsu gave her one of his signature grins and a thumbs up. It simply melted Lucy's heart and she couldn't help but agree.

"Mira, we're taking this mission!" Natsu yelled, waving the paper in the air. Somehow, the white-haired mage managed to read what mission it was and she marked it down that the two had taken that mission. With that, the eccentric fire mage dragged his girlfriend out of the guild and towards the mountain.

Lucy had no idea where they were going. Thankfully, Natsu did. He was making them walk all the way there and Lucy's feet were killing her. She was so happy that Natsu actually knew where they were going. If they got lost, that meant more walking. And more walking meant a pained and pissed off Lucy.

"Aren't we there yet?" Lucy whined. They'd been walking for hours. They had to at least be close to a town by now, right? "Natsu, I'm so tired," Lucy complained as she slumped against his arm and continued to drag her feet alongside him. Natsu chuckled lightly.

"We can stop at a hotel for the night it you want. What do you say?" Natsu asked with a smile on his face. Lucy closed her eyes and silently nodded against his bicep. "Wow, you look exhausted," Natsu commented.

Lucy shrieked when she felt her legs knocked out from under her. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and waited for whatever was going to happen, to happen. She slowly opened her eyes when nothing _did _happen. She looked up slightly and saw Natsu's face smiling down at her.

"You don't' look like you can take another stop," Natsu whispered. He leaned his head down to kiss her on the forehead. "I'll find us a hotel, okay? Why don't you try and sleep a little bit?"

Lucy nodded as her heavy eyelids slowly dropped. Natsu smiled down at Lucy lovingly. He knew she was never one who liked walking places. He appreciated that she'd walked that far just for him. Carrying her the rest of the way to the town and to the hotel was the least he could do for the love of his life. She'd done so much for him that she didn't even know about.

The blonde that Natsu cradled in his arms, she'd done things that no one else could do. She was not only helping him find Igneel and the other dragons, but she also showed him what love was. Well it was more like she helped him remember what love was. Natsu remembered feeling the same feeling for Lisanna once before, but that feeling was long gone. Besides, the feelings he felt for Lucy were about a million times stronger than anything he'd ever felt before.

Not only that, but she made him happy, sad, excited, nervous, mad, and lighter than a feather all at the same time. She was just truly amazing. No matter what anyone else thought, Lucy was one of the strongest people he'd ever met, simply because she could do so much to him without even trying. Like right now, for example.

Natsu looked down at Lucy and felt his heartbeat accelerate in his chest. She looked utterly breathtaking in the orange glow of the setting sun. Her hair flowed around her face and draped over his arm. She was so beautiful.

They finally reached the town and upon their arrival Natsu immediately sought out a hotel. He found the nearest hotel and it wasn't too bad. They were in a nice town so of course the hotels there would be nice too. He walked into the building and the person at the front desk gave Natsu and Lucy a curious look. Natsu just smiled at the woman and approached her.

"We would like a room," Natsu said in a hushed tone. Lucy was still sound asleep in his arms and he didn't' want to wake her up. She looked so peaceful when she slept. He would probably tell her sooner or later, but the reason he always snuck into her apartment was because he liked seeing Lucy when she was asleep, especially when he couldn't sleep herself. The serene atmosphere that was created around the sleeping blonde could always lull him to sleep.

The woman eyed Natsu suspiciously. Perhaps she thought that Natsu had drugged Lucy or something. Natsu noticed the woman's unease and explained.

"She's just asleep. We walked here from Magnolia and she was really tired. We just need to get a room for the night, if you don't mind," he said politely. The woman still seemed a bit skeptical, but as soon as she saw their guild mark her suspicion was erased. She quickly gave Natsu the room key and he headed up to the room.

When Natsu found the room, he expertly balanced Lucy with one arm while he unlocked the room. When he got inside he gently placed Lucy on the bed in the room. There was only one bed, so he and Lucy would be sharing a bed. Natsu didn't mind that. Natsu didn't mind that at all.

He quietly shut the door and let out an exhausted breath. He flopped down on the bed and immediately regretted doing so.

Lucy shot up startled, and looked around the room. Natsu decided to make himself comfortable and pushed himself against the headboard of the bed.

"We're at the hotel," Natsu said, answering Lucy's unspoken question. Lucy rubbed her eyes sleepily and crawled over to rest at Natsu's side.

"Oh, okay," she said tiredly. Natsu wrapped his arm around Lucy's shoulder and pulled her closer to him. The blonde groaned and placed her head on Natsu's chest, resting her hand there as well. She quickly fell back asleep to the hypnotic sound of her boyfriend's heartbeat. Natsu, too, fell asleep.

**XxXxXxX**

It was cold wherever she was. Where was she again? She couldn't remember, nor could she remember how she got there. What was going on? The last thing she remembered was listening in on the conversation in the Master's office.

"You, what information have you brought me?" a loud and menacing voice boomed. Lisanna trembled at how could the voice sounded. A could creature living in a cold place, it made perfect sense. But, why was she there again? Who was talking to her?

"Girl, you will not ignore me!" the voice boomed again.

"Where am I?" Lisanna asked. Despite her wishes, her voice began to shake and tremble. "What do you want from me?"

"You know what I want," the voice scoffed. "I want any and all information you have on your little friends, Natsu and Lucy."

Lisanna's eyes went wide at the words and at the sight that greeted her as the owner of the voice stepped out of the shadows. In front of her was a humongous black dragon.

"You see, that little girl is planning on trying to take back her precious kingdom, and well, the kingdom is something that I want," Acnologia explained with a dark chuckle. Lisanna gasped in fear. She'd heard of the Black Dragon before. He was something that should be avoided at all costs. Acnologia was dangerous, and now here he was in front of her.

"Why? What do you want from me?" Lisanna asked again, her voice trembling with fear.

"Lucy Natsuko Heartfilia, she'll have something that I want. You're going to make sure that she never gets it. You're going to help me make that kingdom mine and mine alone," Acnologia said with a sinister smile. "You're going to help me manipulate the two into taking out the Elder Dragons. Once they're out of the way, I can easily get rid of the two pathetic humans." The Black Dragon let out another bout of malicious laughter.

"If you help me, I might just spare that little Natsu of yours. But you have to help make that kingdom mine!"

Lisanna was speechless. What was she supposed to say? She wanted Natsu to be safe, she loved him after all. But Lucy was her nakama as well. She couldn't sell her nakama out. That would be unforgivable! She'd heard from Mira that, because of her own return, Lucy had been ignored for almost two months! And even after that, Lucy never once blamed Lisanna. Lucy hardly knew Lisanna and still she was kind and sweet, she treated Lisanna like she'd known her for years.

She had to refuse, even if it would cost her life to do so. In Fairy Tail, your nakama always came before yourself, no matter what.

"What do you say, Lisanna Strauss?" Acnologia asked.

"I'll do it," she responded blankly.

'No! That wasn't my answer!' Lisanna thought. Lisanna was scared. That wasn't what she wanted to say. She didn't say those words herself. She would never agree to hurting her nakama! Never!

"Really now?" the dragon asked again with a smirk. Things were going just as planned.

"Yes."

'No, no, no, no, NO!' Lisanna's thoughts screamed repeatedly. She didn't want that. She'd never want that. Why was she saying things that weren't her own answers? Why couldn't she refuse like she wanted to? The words she was saying weren't her own, so whose were they?

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**END NOTE: CLIFFY! I think I always end these chapters with cliffhangers. Sorry about that, but it keeps it interesting, right? Heck the story is interesting if it can effectively create a cliffhanger, am I right? Well, let me know what you guys thought. Also, check out my other stories. I know some of you already have, but for those of you who haven't, you should. Word on the site is that they're pretty good. I don't know if they are, so why don't you check them out and tell me yourself? Until the next epiclly amazing chapter...**

**~Alice-chan**


	30. Chapter 30

**AN/: Hey here's the next chapter for you guys! I'm not sure how well this one turned out. I feel like I kind of BS'd my way through it. But, a chapter is a chapter. Let me know how it is, and if it's really as bad as I think it is. :) I'm sorry I haven't been able to update my stories as often. School has everything absolutely crazy! I have like NO free-time any more. :( It makes me so sad. I miss you guys! (Does it make any sense to say that? LOL) Anyways, here's the chapter. ENJOY!**

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The birds chirped in the early morning, but who could hear them over a certain Dragon Slayer's ridiculous snoring? Lucy sure couldn't. In fact, her morning started off pretty roughly. It seemed that Natsu had rolled away from her during the night and started snoring like a chainsaw. Lucy had woken up with a start and as a result she lost her balance and toppled over the edge of the bed and onto the floor.

Now, Lucy sat huddled in the furthest corner away from her sleeping boyfriend. She clutched the pillow around her head and ears tighter with the hope of drowning out the wretched noise. She loved Natsu dearly, but that snoring was just inhuman sometimes.

After another hour, Lucy was fed up with it. They had a mission to go on and he was still _snoring _away. Lucy groaned as she picked herself up from her spot on the floor and she made sure to take the pillow with her. Angrily, she trudged over to the bed. She loomed over the sleeping fire mage before she harshly brought the pillow she had in her hand down upon his very unsuspecting face.

"Wake up!" Lucy screamed as she beat the crap out of the poor pillow with Natsu's face. Natsu quickly sprung up from his position on the bed.

"What? What is it? What happened? Huh?" Natsu shouted confused. He looked around the room and spotted Lucy holding a pillow in her hand, hands resting on her hips, tapping her foot in annoyance. Natsu scratched the back of his neck. Did something happen while he was sleeping?

"Good morning, Luce!" Natsu said with a big smile on his face. Act oblivious, that was his method of choice for dealing with Lucy that morning. Maybe if he acted like he had no idea what was going on, which he didn't anyways, she'd be less… _violent. _

"Good for you, not good for me!" Lucy yelled. "I can only take so much of an inhuman sounding noise until I snap!" she screeched, swinging the pillow into his face again. Natsu yelped and rubbed his sore nose.

"Geez Luce, what's up with you this morning? Did I do something?" Natsu asked feeling a bit hurt. He knew Lucy was a girl and she had… hormones… but something had to trigger her rage. Had he done something?

Lucy screeched again and flailed the pillow around some more.

"You and that god damned snoring! It sounds like a damn chainsaw!" Lucy complained. Natsu pouted at her. That was it?

"So you hit me in the face with a pillow for something that I didn't know I was doing?" Natsu asked sounding hurt and insulted. Lucy sighed in frustration and carelessly plopped down next to Natsu.

"I know it sounds retarded, but I was irritated and frustrated and I had to make the snoring stop and… I needed to take my frustration out on something!" Lucy yelled. She let out a breath of air and lied down on the bed. She laid there for a moment before she decided to get ready for the day. She didn't know why she didn't do that before she woke Natsu up, but she figured that it didn't matter anymore. They had a mission to go on that day.

Mira had been snooping around. It was like a second job of hers, honestly, she could be a ninja if she really wanted to. Her stealth was unmatched when it came to getting the details she wanted. Most of the time she wanted details of the love lives of the guild members, but this time she was after some more important details.

She needed to know why her sister was acting so strange. It wasn't like Lisanna to get jealous. It wasn't like her at all. She felt that something was off, and boy was she right. She'd followed Lisanna in the night to a cave she didn't know existed. She doubted that Lisanna even knew about it. It was strange following her. Mira noticed how instead of maneuvering herself to the cave, she acted as if she was on auto-pilot. What happened after the youngest of the Strauss siblings entered the cave was what frightened Mira the most.

Mira had to be completely silent, she didn't know how good a dragon's senses were, but if they were like Natsu's she'd have to be extra careful. She watched discretely as the Black Dragon, Acnologia, confronted her sister. Lisanna looked panicked and horror stricken. Mira couldn't believe the words that her sister spoke, so she didn't.

Acnologia must have been controlling her; that was the only thing that Mira could think of. Why else would Lisanna want to hurt her nakama? It didn't matter if there was a real reason, though. The situation was bad, very bad. Lucy needed to be warned, as did the guild master and the rest of the guild. Mira knew that her sister wasn't weak, but if she were to go up against her nakama, they might be too confused to effectively defend themselves.

The next morning was when Mira decided to take action. She felt a sense of doom looming over her and everyone around her. It was a dreadful feeling and she wanted to get rid of it. It was the disgusting stench of Acnologia that had her so frazzled. Well, not so much the stench, but the aura he left around Lisanna.

Yes, that was the day she decided to take action. She ran into the master's office and briefly explained the situation before she darted out and headed for the guild's doors. She had to warn Lucy first and foremost. That was mainly because Mira had lost sight of Lisanna for almost an hour and she was getting worried.

"Mirajane, what has you so worried?" Erza asked Mira before she could exit the guild. Mira turned to face the scarlet-haired mage. She could use their help if something went wrong before she got to Natsu and Lucy. She briefly glanced around the guild and caught sight of Gajeel. He'd be useful too. Without thinking she strode over to Gajeel and grasped his arms before turning back to Erza who was joined by Gray and Happy, who surprisingly didn't go with Lucy and Natsu.

"I'm going to need your help. Something strange is happening with Lisanna and it's got me going absolutely crazy. I think she's going to try and hurt Lucy," Mira said with urgency. She tugged on Gajeel's arm, not giving him a choice on whether he was going or not.

"Why would Lisanna hurt Lucy?" Happy asked cocking his head to the side in confusion. Lisanna was with Natsu when he'd hatched. She was a mother figure to him, and one of the nicest people he'd ever known. Of course, Lucy was, too. Why would a nice person want to hurt another nice person when they haven't done anything to one another?

"I'll explain on the way, but not here, because I'm not exactly sure what's going on," Mira explained. Erza, Happy, and Gray didn't need any further explanations; they could sense the urgency in her voice and the panicked and fearful aura around Mira. Without another word, the group followed Mira out of the guild.

Meanwhile, Lucy was still frustrated with Natsu, but she couldn't say that she wasn't having at least a little bit of fun. If nothing else, she was at least getting plenty of exercise. The two were walked down a dirt path and it seemed that most of the dirt was on Lucy instead of the ground.

"Natsu, come on that's enough!" Lucy whined breathlessly. Natsu laughed at her and attacked her again.

"I get to say when you've had enough!" Natsu retorted with a slight smirk. Lucy pouted and took yet another step away from Natsu. She saw him make a move out of the corner of her eye and she squeaked and ran from him.

"Oof! Gah, Natsu get off of me!" Lucy said through clenched teeth. Natsu smirked down at her mischievously and chuckled again. He had pinned her to the ground with his legs on either side of her.

"Never!" he shouted as he attacked her once again with his wiggling fingers. They'd left the hotel and were on their way to the forest where they were to complete their mission, but who said that Natsu didn't have time for a little payback?

"Stop!" Lucy screamed in between laughs. He tickled her side again and she curled up in a ball to try and hid herself from him. She covered her sides with her hands, but Natsu just tickled around them. "Come on! What did I do to deserve this?" Lucy shouted hysterically with the little breath that she had. Her boyfriend tickled her stomach and laughed even more.

"This is for hitting me in the face with a pillow this morning!" Natsu tickled her one last time before he let her go to let her catch her breath. He wanted payback, he didn't' want to kill his girlfriend. Lucy picked herself up off of the ground and dusted herself off as best as she could. She playfully glared at Natsu.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry I beat up that poor pillow with your face," Lucy giggled. She took off and ran up the path to escape her boyfriend's grasp and he stared unbelieving at the retreating blonde. He rolled his eyes and smiled to himself. God did he love her. He never really got to see that playful side of her. He'd seen Violent Lucy many, many, _many _times before. But Playful Lucy was a bit of a stranger. He had to admit that he liked it just a little bit.

"Lucy, wait up!" Natsu shouted after her. He began to jog to catch up to her.

Lucy stopped running when she heard Natsu call out to her. She felt that he was done with the tickle war. She giggled a bit and decided to casually stroll ahead while Natsu caught up. She turned to see how far away Natsu was and deemed it a decent distance. She could walk away slowly and he'd be fine. So that's what she did.

Lucy turned back around but almost ran into something. What in the world could be there that wasn't there before?

"Lucy," the person muttered emotionlessly.

"L-Lisanna?" Lucy stuttered in disbelief.

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**END NOTE: I know you guys hate cliffhangers, but I couldn't help it. I couldn't think of a better place to end the chapter. I'm really not kidding. I think school has fried my brain. UGH! Oh well. I'll try to update as soon as I can. That goes for my other stories as well. And BTW, who else is totally freaking out about the anime? I am like literally dying to find out what's going to happen! GAH! I can't wait for the next episode. AND I can't wait for the subbed version of the Fairy Tail movie to come out. I just saw the subbed trailer today and I was flipping out going all fanfirl crazy when I saw Natsu bring a crying Lucy into a hug! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AHHHHHHHHH total fangirl moment! Well, I'm gonna go now. I'm kind of tired. Farewell my lovely readers who haven't abandoned me! **

**~Alice-chan**


	31. Chapter 31

**AN/: I am SO SORRY for the unbelievably long wait. This chapter is long overdue, I know. I haven't been able to get on and actually type up chapters. I haven't been able to get on the computer at all much lately. School is crazy and band only makes things crazier. Friday was a football game and then saturday we had something called Showcase of Bands. It was fun meeting so many other people from other bands, but it was tiring. I had a test today in Zoology and tomorrow I have a Fish Practical. Ick! Wednesday I have to turn in my rough draft of my National Parks essay project thing. Oh yeah, this is all for the same class. Then in Lit. I have a quiz over stuff we read from the textbook. In Algebra II we're going to be starting the really hard stuff. But, I've been doing pretty good in that class so far, so wish me luck. **

**I recently sent a fan-message to Toby Turner asking if he would like me to write a short story or something for free advertising (For Toby of course). I think it would be cool to have a series of Tobuscus Short Stories, don't you guys? PM me and let me know what you think. This might also help with my publicity, you know, if he says yes. It'll be really good for my book. If you guys really want this to work, you can message him yourself and support me if you'd like. Just don't overwhelm the poor guy. I love Toby! **

**Sorry this chapter is short. But, It's better than nothing. Thank you to all of you who have reviewed and have stayed faithful even though I seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. I _have _been working on my book a lot more lately though. I've been writing it in school during my study hall. So you might be seeing another chapter or a snipet of a chapter soon on FictionPress. I've had so many people tell me I should switch to LiveJournal though. A lot of my friends have abandoned . Sad, isn't it? Well, enough of that. Enjoy this long awaited chapter!**

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Lucy stared at the person in front of her. She couldn't believe who it was.

"Lisanna?" she questioned nervously. Lisanna just stood there staring at the blonde emotionlessly. It scared Lucy. She hadn't heard anyone coming up in front of her and when she'd looked before, there wasn't anyone there. She hadn't smelled anyone or sensed anyone, and it didn't make any sense.

The two stood in silence for a short moment longer.

"L-Lisanna?" Lucy called out again. Again, there was no response. Lucy took a step away from the transformation mage. Something felt off about the way she was acting, a fact a child could see.

"Lucy, hey wait up!" Natsu's voice called from the distance. She involuntarily flinched at the sound of his voice breaking the silence. Maybe Natsu could get a response from Lisanna. After all, they were childhood friends.

Natsu jogged over to where Lucy was and his pace slowed as he neared her. There were two people there instead of just Lucy. There was someone there that he didn't sense coming.

"Lisanna, what are you doing here?" Natsu asked curiously. He felt a dangerous aura pulsing off of his childhood friend but decided to give the transformation mage the benefit of the doubt. Natsu figured maybe something bad had happened and that was why Lisanna seemed so… off.

"A mission… of great importance," Lisanna responded with the same emotionless tone. Lucy and Natsu continued to stand in confusion, trying to make sense of her words. Natsu furrowed his brow and took a step closer to Lisanna. Perhaps he'd been right to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"What's the mission?" Natsu asked. He waited for her answer and the suspense of it all made the seconds feel like hours. While Natsu took another small step forward, Lucy crept away from the white-haired girl. Lucy was practically in a state of shock from Natsu's actions. Couldn't he tell that something was wrong? Couldn't he sense it?

"To eliminate," Lisanna began as she powered up her magic, "Lucy Heartfilia." Lisanna had summoned her cat claws and seemingly without hesitation, she swiftly brought a clawed hand down at Lucy. The blonde's eyes widened and she jumped away from Lisanna, just barely avoiding the blow.

Lucy narrowed her eyes at the mage who claimed to be Lisanna. Lucy knew that something was wrong. If she'd had any doubts before, she didn't anymore. Natsu had crouched into a defensive stance, his hands engulfed in fiery flames. Now he felt foolish for disregarding the dangerous aura Lisanna was giving off. He didn't understand what was going on. Lisanna would never hurt her nakama, no matter what.

"Lisanna!" The loud shout startled the three mages and they looked toward the source of the voice. Lucy and Natsu knew who it was that came rushing at them. They knew the five people approaching were more informed on the situation than they were.

"No. NO! You cannot interfere!" Lisanna shouted, turning back to Lucy and swinging at her furiously. Lucy jumped to the left just in time to escape the tackle that Lisanna threw at her. Gritting her teeth Lucy whipped her head up to look directly into Lisanna's eyes. But, they weren't her eyes. Instead of Lucy's gaze meeting that of soft blue eyes, she stared into glossy, black pools of hatred.

Multiple sets of hands clapped down onto Lisanna's shoulders and arms. There were some paws and icy chains holding her, along with the clawed hands of her older sister.

"What are you doing, Lisanna? This isn't like you! You have to stop!" Mirajane shouted at her younger sister. Mirajane hoped and prayed that her words would reach through to the young girl. She wouldn't allow Lisanna to hurt Lucy, but she dreaded the possibility of having to hurt her younger sibling.

"No, you have to pay, Lucy Heartfilia!" Lisanna shouted. She tugged and strained against her restraints while the others struggled to keep her in their grasp. "You don't know anything! None of you do! They're keeping secrets from us!" Lisanna screeched hysterically.

"Gray, reinforce the ice chains. Gajeel, help me hold her still. Happy, get Natsu and Lucy out of here," Erza ordered. The others nodded and executed each order. Happy struggled to unravel his tail from around Lisanna's waist. He'd secured her with his tail to help restrain her, but now it hindered the blue Exceed from helping his friends.

"You leave Natsu here!" Lisanna screamed. She violently shook and flailed to try and free herself from her binds. Somehow, she managed to free herself for a few brief seconds and got about two steps away before she was held back by her arms. "You," she hissed at Lucy. "You stole him from me! You stole him from right under my nose! And now, now you're trying to keep him from me altogether!" the young transformation mage snapped, her tone icy and unforgiving.

Lucy stared at Lisanna in disbelief. Did she… know? Had she somehow found out about her relationship with Natsu?

'Of course she does!' Lucy scolded herself. That part seemed obvious. But Lucy knew that Lisanna wouldn't act out like she was now. She hadn't even known Lisanna very long, but she knew that Lisanna was a sweet and caring person. Even when everyone had ignored her for two months because of Lisanna, Lucy couldn't bring herself to hate Lisanna. She couldn't even bring herself to dislike her. Lisanna was just a likable person. So why was she acting so maliciously toward her?

"_Lucy, be careful," _Luka's voice sounded in the blonde's thoughts. Lucy felt comforted by the familiar presence of her dragon in her thoughts. She briefly wondered where Luka had disappeared to.

'_I know. Something's not right about Lisanna, but I can't tell what the cause of it is,' _Lucy responded silently. _What _was off was easy to see. Lisanna was being more violent. She was expressing emotions that no one thought Lisanna even knew existed. Vile, ruthless hatred was what seemed to glisten in what used to be soft, baby-blue eyes. Lucy also noticed _jealousy_ in Lisanna's eyes. Whatever had happened to her, it had changed her completely.

"_We can only hope that your fellow guild mates know something about what's going on. I think it's safe to say that it's not petty jealousy that's driving her to do this, though," _Luka said suspicion plainly evident in her voice. Lucy nodded in agreement to a statement that no one else heard.

With that, Lucy summoned her magic. She could feel the energy coursing through her and she led the powerful feeling to her hands. She wanted her fists to have the power of stone, or in equal comparison, Erza's fists. Using her Earth Magic, she coated her hands in cold, hard stone and took aim for Lisanna's gut. Just one blow was all she needed to subdue her raging nakama.

Lucy braced herself. She didn't want to hurt Lisanna, so she just thought of it as the same as Erza knocking out Natsu on train rides. That would momentarily justify her actions. With another deep breath, Lucy dug her knuckles into Lisanna's stomach with a sharp and effective jab. Not only did it know the wind out of the poor transformation mage, but it took out her consciences as well. Lucy would get some answers. If what Luka was hinting at was indeed the truth, then someone had been using Lisanna to get to her. And that someone… wasn't human.

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**END NOTE: See? Not very long. GOMENESAI! *sigh* anyways, recap. Haven't been able to get on as much lately so updates are becoming rare. I asked Toby if he'd like me to create a Tobuscus Short Story series (Which would be awesome!) and if you like this idea you should help support me. I might even start a facebook page for it. I'll probably have to ask Toby permission for that first though. Review please. I'm not sure if I quite deserve it, but it would make me so happy if you did. I'll try and update my other stories tonight. And maybe I'll try and sneak an update in during my Advanced Computer Technology class sometime this week. (That is if I can get on the site on a school computer) Bye for now and hope to hear from you all!**

**~Alice-chan**


	32. Chapter 32

**AN/: Hey! It's been a while since I updated this story. Gomen! I just haven't had the time. I DID update today, as you can obviously tell, and I started a new story of sorts earlier today. It isn't anything that really requires tons of effort and time like this story does, so I figured it would be okay to upload that one. It's called _Fairly Obsessed With Fairy Tail _and it's basically just a list of ways to tell if you're obsessed with Fairy Tail. Let me know if you've already checked it out like the awesome, devoted reader you are! Also, thank you to all of you who reviewed the last chapter and thank you to all who plan on reviewing this chapter. I do feel really bad about the long wait. I feel like some of you may have given up on this story. I hope I'm keeping it interesting enough for you guys. I feel like this story might be coming to an end soon, so just a heads up about that. Well, you've waited for a long time for this chapter, so I'm not gonna drag this out any longer. Odds are half of you won't even read this anyways. Well, ENJOY!**

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The Fairy Tail mages were staring at their nakama with confused expressions. Lisanna was tied up and resting against a tree on the edge of the nearby forest, still unconscious from the earlier blow to the stomach. Their hearts were racing with adrenaline and their minds whirling with confusion. What had just happened?

"Lucy," Erza began, "Do you have any idea what is going on?" Erza asked, her eyes scanning over the Elemental Dragon Master's face and waiting for an answer. Lucy shook her head lightly, still confused herself. Lisanna had said that she'd taken Natsu from her. Did she know about her and Natsu?

"It- it was Acnologia," Mirajane choked out. Tears streamed down her face as she clenched her teeth together in fury. Something terrible was going on, but she didn't know what to do about it. She could hardly hear when she'd followed Lisanna to that cave. She'd heard things about Lucy and Lisanna harming Lucy to get something that Acnologia wanted, but she didn't know why exactly. She also didn't know what that had to do with Natsu.

"Mira, how could you just say that?" Gray shouted unbelieving. "Something as serious as that… are you sure there isn't another explanation?" Mira shook her head with remorse.

"I wish there was, but yesterday I followed Lisanna to a cave and…" Mira clenched her teeth harder and balled her hands into fists. "I _saw _him there. That despicable dragon, he was there, and he…" Mira looked over at her unconscious sister. "Acnologia was using her, I know he was. He wants something that Lucy has, or will have."

The oldest Strauss sibling let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed her temples. Oh, how she wished that all of this could just be a terrible dream.

"The kingdom," Lucy muttered softly. Her team and Mira snapped their gazes onto the blonde. "Leafre, Acnologia wants the Dragon Kingdom of Leafre," Lucy said louder for the others to hear.

After thinking about it, Lucy realized that the assumption would be fairly accurate. Acnologia would want to take over Leafre, but with the Elder Dragons still present in the land it would be foolish to try anything alone. What Lucy figured was that Acnologia was waiting for Natsu and herself to deal with the Elder Dragons for him, that way he'd only have to deal with the humans. It seemed like something an evil, power deranged dragon would do, but it didn't explain why he'd chosen to manipulate Lisanna, or why she'd just tried to kill her. Wouldn't killing her be rather… counterproductive considering the dragon's assumed objective?

"Lucy, that doesn't explain why Lisanna was trying to kill you… does it?" Natsu asked, feeling a bit lost in the situation. Lucy shook her head and furrowed her brows.

"No, actually, it doesn't," Lucy replied. She set her gaze over Lisanna and sat down on the ground. She set her mind to work and wracked her brain for any explanation that would make sense. "I think that Acnologia would want to get rid of the Elder Dragons first, so I don't understand why Lisanna would be trying to kill me now."

"Lisanna said that you stole him from her, that you stole Natsu. What did she mean by that?" Happy asked. His little voice surprised everyone a bit. He'd been so quiet that they'd almost forgot that he was there. Lately, he'd been spending most of his time with Charle.

"I- I, uh…" Lucy looked to Natsu, her eyes pleading for help in any kind of explanation. Should she tell them, would he mind? Natsu's onyx eyes answered hers with an apology and no other suggestions on what to do. The blonde sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.

"We told the master about something that we didn't really tell you guys," Lucy admitted. Natsu understood his beloved's decision and sat next to her. The others were beginning to takes seats amongst the ground as well.

"Are you sure you want to tell them, Luce?" Natsu asked. He knew Lucy's feelings on telling their nakama about their relationship. By no means was he against the idea of telling the others, but was it really okay with Lucy?

"I'm sure." Lucy turned her attention back to her fellow guild mates. "We spoke to our mothers and, well, we…" Lucy trailed off, unsure of how to explain. Natsu sighed and wrapped his strong arms around his girlfriend's shoulders.

"We're dating. It just sort of happened, but that's how it is," Natsu said. Multiple jaws dropped while Mira just dropped altogether. Natsu rolled his eyes and Lucy sighed and shook her head. They knew that they should've expected, but seriously, did their friends have to be so dramatic?

"We talked to our mothers and one thing led to another. After we left… that's when it just sort of happened. We both admitted that we love each other and decided that we were just… together," Lucy said with a deep blush.

"So Lisanna knew about this but none of us did?" Erza asked with slight irritation. The couple gulped in fear hugged each other tightly.

"No, no, no! That's not it, Erza! We swear!" Natsu shouted hysterically.

"We didn't tell anyone except Master Makarov, which is another reason I'm so confused," Lucy informed. Erza seemed to calm down and she looked at Lucy and Natsu with an expectant gaze, waiting for further explanation.

"You never told Lisanna?" Mira suddenly asked. She furrowed her brow. "She must've heard somehow then." In another moment Mira's eyes lit up in realization.

"That's why Lisanna seemed jealous!" the retired S-Class mage blurted out. "I thought it was very out of character for her, but if she'd found out about Natsu and Lucy's relationship and was under some sort of dark influence, it would make complete sense!"

"Not only that, but it would give Lisanna a motive to try and kill Lucy now. What she said about stealing Natsu makes sense if it's a jealous girl saying it," Gray added while unconsciously taking off his shirt.

"But it wasn't really Lisanna who was doing all that to Lucy, was it? Acnologia was controlling her, wasn't he?" Happy piped in innocently.

"If that stupid Black Dragon wanted Bunny-Girl and Salamander to take care of the Elder Dragons for him, then he wouldn't have had Lisanna trying to kill Bunny-Girl. He may be a stupid dragon, but I don't think he's unintelligent," a rough voice said. All eyes moved to the source of the deep voice and took in the sight of the Iron Dragon Slayer leaning against a tree, his attitude proof of his seeming disinterest in the subject.

Lucy jumped slightly, not even realizing that he'd been there in the first place. She felt a little awkward now, seeing as he'd already known about her and Natsu's relationship. The fact that she hadn't even registered the fact that he was there made it even more so. Since she'd started her Dragon Master training, she'd gained heightened senses. She should've been able to tell that Gajeel was there, been able to smell him, hear him, or at least sense him. She inwardly scolded herself; she'd have to pay more attention to her senses.

Crunching leaves and sticks interrupted Lucy's train of thought and the blonde whirled her head around in the direction of the noise. The ruckus was far off in the distance, and she mentally praised herself for paying attention to her new and improved senses this time. Soon, a large and captivatingly beautiful dragon came into view and it smiled down at the mages.

"If I may, I don't believe that Lisanna was acting entirely of her own volition," Luka said as she stepped out of the cover of the trees nearby. Mira, Erza, and Gray looked at the creature in awe. They'd never seen such a beautiful creature before. It was a dragon, and it was a mystery to them why it was showing itself now.

"Volition? Luce, what does that word mean?" the pink-haired teen asked his partner.

"It's someone's own will, their ability to think and feel a certain way about something or someone," Lucy answered. An expression of sudden understanding flashed across the Fire Dragon Slayer's face. The understanding didn't last long, though.

"Why would Acnologia try to kill her if he plans to use her to get what he wants?" Natsu asked the silvery-scaled dragon. "Luka, it doesn't make sense."

"Luka?" Gray questioned with confusion, but his words went unnoticed and ignored.

"Like I said, I don't think she was acting _entirely _of her own volition," Luka repeated. "My thoughts are that Acnologia's influence over her only made her feel that Lucy had done something wrong, and it increased her level of violence toward Lucy," Luka explained.

Lucy furrowed for brow even further in confusion. She hated being so confused. She'd end up having terrible frown lines and wrinkles at this point. She used her connection with Luka to try and figure out anything that Luka may have left out.

"You- you don't think that Acnologia influenced her opinion of the guild and the world as a whole, do you, Luka?" Lucy asked. A type of realization started to sink it. It was a possible answer to the questions that were being asked. Her dragon nodded in response.

"I believe that the girl decided to take action against Acnologia's plan, but her reasoning was something that she didn't quite understand and it was at that point that the Black Dragon's influence took over," Luka explained.

"Well, I guess it would make sense. If Acnologia planned on using Lucy, then getting rid of her would definitely put a dent in his plans," Erza reasoned. The others nodded in agreement.

"We all know that Lisanna has a thing for Natsu, so her jealousy of Lucy fueled her actions," Gray added.

"But, even if she was jealous, Lisanna isn't the type of person who would try to kill someone because of that," Mirajane countered. The others had to agree that the barmaid did have a point there. So, the answer was still a mystery?

"Lucy, when you saw Lisanna's eyes, they were black, weren't they?" Luka asked her master. The blonde nodded in reply. Luka gave a nod that was more to herself than any of the humans. "Did they look almost soulless?" the dragon asked her master again. Lucy thought for a moment before she shook her head.

"No they didn't, but what does that mean?" Lucy inquired. She recalled the way Lisanna's eyes looked. They had been black as night, but they hadn't looked soulless. They'd been filled with hate, but now that she thought about it, she realized that she seemed almost helpless. It had been like there was something behind those black walls that desperately wanted out.

"I don't think the girl intended on killing you," Luka spoke softly. Everyone listened intently for the dragon's next words. "I believe she was trying to get your attention."

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**END NOTE: Well, how was it? Is it worthy of a review? I really am sorry that it's been taking me forever to update this story. I have a ton of updating to do. I know it really sucks when it takes forever for a really good story to be updated. I absolutely hate that! **

**Examples:  
The Princess and the Pirate ~ Love it! I can never wait for the next chapter to be updated.  
Light Eater ~ Love this one too! It's been a while since it's been updated, and I'm starting to get kind of worried.  
What Doesn't Kill You ~ Hasn't been updated in FOREVER! I read the last chapter and almost had a heart attack. I couldn't wait for the next chapter and it still. isn't. updated. yet!  
The Fire That Binds Us ~ This is my latest obsession! I cannot even begin to express how much I absolutely ADORE that story! Really, it makes me squeal like a little, crazed, fangirl. It's just amazing beyond any words I know of. I really hope it gets updated soon!  
**

**Let me know if you read any of those stories. They are awesome, aren't they!? Well, I've been getting a lot more of my book written. I'm almost done with chapter 3! This is a big accomplishment because I've been writing it during school in a composition notebook. I really should get around to typing it up. Well, review, check out my other stories if you haven't already, and message me if you have anything at all that you'd like to say to me. Until next time... Au revior, mes amis! (- Vous comprenez moi? Tu va dire moi? J'aime tout mon lecteurs francais! Desole pour la mauvaise grammaire. T-T L'ordinateur stupid!)**

**~Alice-chan**


	33. Chapter 33

**AN/: Hey you guys! It's been forever since I've updated this story, so I wrote an extra long chapter for you guys. 7 typed pages, is that enough? The plot is getting even more confusing and crazy, so if you need any help with understanding it, just ask. I'll be glad to help clear up the confusion. I don't know why I made it so confusing in the first place, but you guys seem to really like it, so whatever. I enjoyed writing this chapter a lot. Mainly because my writer's block seems to have finally broken. Yippe! **

**Life's been good lately. I joined Fairy Tail, if any of you didn't know that already from my other story updates. I'm Mirajane Strauss! Anyways, I've learned that I have guild mates who are fans of my work. Lisanna, I know you've been waiting for what seems like forever for this chapter. So here you go, sis. And Cana, you yell a lot! Get excited much? *giggles* I tried to upload this as fast as I could. Did I do it fast enough? Erza, all I have to say to you is that I am so grateful that you invited me into the guild. This chapter is also for you! I dedicate this chapter to my guild mates in Fairy Tail! So without further adieu, enjoy the next chapter of The Dragon Masters!**

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"That girl has a sick was of getting peoples' attention," Gajeel commented. The Iron Dragon Slayer's voice had interrupted a long pause of silence. Everyone had used the opportunity to try and set things straight in their minds, but some of them found themselves coming up short. As if on cue, the group sighed in unison. The world of dragons was so confusing.

"Luka, what exactly do you mean?" Lucy asked quietly. Her mind was still working as hard as it could to try and find answers. Why, why, why? Why was Lisanna trying to get her attention? It made sense that Lisanna wasn't really trying to kill her. Even though the return of the Strauss girl had made Lucy feel abandoned, she knew that Lisanna had never meant to do that. Lisanna was a good person. Just hearing all the things that were said about her was enough to convince her of that.

"Lucy, if she didn't do something to get your attention, do you think that we'd know that there was something wrong in the first place?" Luka asked, raising what looked to be a scaly eyebrow. Lucy nodded slowly as her brain slowly registered the truth in Luka's words.

There was silence again. No one talked, no one moved, there wasn't even so much as a breath heard. It stayed like that for another long moment.

"Nng- what?" a quiet voice breathed out in confusion, breaking the silence that seemed to crowd the mages lately. All eyes darted frantically to the source of the noise. The mages sprung into action; Lisanna was conscious once again.

"If she tries anything remember that she's not being herself!" Erza reminded everyone with a harsh tone. "Don't hesitate to take action!"

"What?" Lisanna cried out in alarm. She tried to shift from her uncomfortable position only to find that she couldn't. She'd been bound tightly with a rope of some sort. It was heavy, like an iron chain, but thin and flexible, like a rope. Surely enough, the young mage spotted Gajeel out of the corner of her eye. She wondered if making stuff like the rope she was bound in was an acquired ability or if it came naturally to the Dragon Slayer.

"Lisanna?" Lucy's voice called out to the distracted Strauss sibling. Lisanna snapped her gaze to meet Lucy's. The white-haired girl saw caution in the girl's eyes. It confused her. Why would Lucy be cautious? Lisanna had heard nothing but good things about Lucy, and personal encounters proved the rumors to be true. Lisanna didn't recall ever giving the Celestial mage a reason to be cautious of her; Lisanna herself had never seen why she would need to.

Lisanna groaned in displeasure. Her head ached and throbbed painfully. What had she done? She moved her eyes away from Lucy's and looked at the others that were there with her. Now that she thought of it, how _had _she gotten where she was now? The last thing Lisanna remembered was… Acnologia!

Lisanna gasped, salty tears gathering in the corners of her ocean-blue eyes. Had she attacked Lucy? Had she actually attacked Lucy; she'd thought it'd been a terrible nightmare. Being controlled by Acnologia, attacking Lucy; Lisanna had prayed that it'd just been a terrible dream. But no, it wasn't. The longer she was awake, the more it all came back to her. She had attacked Lucy, but not under Acnologia's orders. Lisanna looked back to Lucy. She didn't _seem _mad. Cautious, yes, but mad, definitely not.

Lisanna let a small, warm smile slip onto her face. Lucy understood; Lisanna's intentions had overcome Acnologia. She'd done it.

**~Flashback~**

_It was so dark. It was cold, too. Dreadfully cold and terrifyingly dark; Lisanna felt as if there was no escape from the mysterious black prison she'd been locked in without warning. Previous events reminded her that Natsu and Lucy were together. The news, that she wasn't supposed to have heard in the first place, had left her heart aching. Her heart ached, but she was happy for Natsu. She was happy for Natsu and Lucy both. They were great people, both of them. Sure, she loved Natsu, they had been the greatest of friends when they were kids and they even used to joke about getting married when they grew up. But, that's all it was; a joke. Maybe it hadn't been that way for her as a kid, because it wasn't. Maybe it hadn't been that way for Natsu as a kid, but how was Lisanna supposed to know? She knew she loved him, but knew nothing of whether he loved her back. _

_Lisanna had fully intended on truly confessing to Natsu, to tell him that when she suggested they get married, she wasn't kidding. But she never got the chance to say that, and that wasn't Natsu's fault. It wasn't' necessarily hers either, but it most definitely wasn't Natsu's. Natsu, her family, and the rest of her beloved guild thought that she'd died, and therefore they attempted to move on. Lisanna understood that. When she came back from Edolas, she wasn't sure what she was to expect. One thing for sure was that she didn't expect that she'd been replaced. _

_Lisanna let out a sigh that echoed in the darkness. How could she have even thought of something as absurd as that? Being replaced; that was a thought for insecure people. After she came back she'd watched the interactions between her beloved Natsu and his new 'friend'. She quickly realized that she'd never been replaced. Natsu acted totally different around Lucy, but he remained the same around herself. Lisanna was still Lisanna to Natsu. She was still his childhood friend. Back from the 'dead' or not, she was still Lisanna to him. _

_Maybe Lisanna wanting to at least give herself one last attempt at love with Natsu wasn't such a good idea after all. She was left with a half broken heart and a curious case of… blindness? The white-haired mage shook her head. She just had to forget about Natsu and the feelings she once had for him. She would go back to being with her family and spending time with Natsu as friends. Sure they wouldn't spend as much time together as they used to, but a little time with him and his happiness was all that Lisanna could ever hope for. She really had to focus of the present. What mattered now was the 'here and now' not the 'there and then.' Where was she, anyways? _

"_Lisanna Strauss, mage of Fairy Tail, recently returned from Edolas… you've got quite the tragic story, haven't you?" a deep voice chuckled. Lisanna tensed and wearily looked around, straining her eyes to try and catch a glimpse of something, anything at all, that could have spoken. _

"_Unrequited love is the most painful of loves, you know?" the voice said again. "Aren't you jealous?" _

"_Who are you?" Lisanna called out to the unseen entity. She heard something shift off to the side and Lisanna strained her eyes to see what was there. It chuckled again, whatever it was. "I'm serious! Who are you, what do you want?"_

"_Your help, that is all," the voice explained calmly. Lisanna gritted her teeth in annoyance and asked once again, "Who are you?"_

_Whatever was with her inhaled deeply and Lisanna could see the darkness lifting away. The only dark thing left in the room afterward was a dark scaled dragon. Acnologia! Lisanna's bright blue eyes widened in fear as she took a step back, attempting to put distance between herself and the evil creature before her. _

"_I need your help," the dragon repeated with less patience than before. Lisanna felt a sickening feeling creep up on her. It felt like a rope, a dirty and harmful thing that slowly wound itself around her without her consent. It was a disgusting feeling and even though Lisanna tried to shake it off, the more pronounced it became, the less she could control herself. _

'_I won't help him! Never!' Lisanna determined. _

"_I need you to help me use your dear friend Lucy. Won't you help me?" Acnologia asked. Lisanna shook her head furiously. "Why not? Didn't she break your heart? She took the one you love away from you while you were gone, don't you hate her for that?" the dragon asked. Lisanna continued to shake her head. Her heart hurt, but she didn't hate anyone. She'd live with the pain and eventually she'd move on. She knew that!_

"_I guess you leave me no choice, then," the dragon said with a sigh. Lisanna scrunched her brows in confusion, but gasped when that disgusting, dark feeling increased._

"_W-what is this?" Lisanna asked in a panic. "What are you doing to me?" she shouted frantically. Her body felt like it was going numb. Her legs weren't keeping her up anymore, yet there will still under her, holding her body erect as she stood. Everything was numb._

"_Will you help me?" Acnologia asked. _

"_Yes," Lisanna's voice replied. 'No! No, no, no, no, no! I didn't want to say that! What is he doing to me?' Lisanna's thoughts screamed out in fear. That was how it continued. Acnologia would ask her questions that she didn't want to answer and she'd answer them with the wrong answers anyways. She felt herself being sucked into the confines of her own mind, and she was scared. She didn't want to betray her friends, the one she loved so much, she couldn't betray him or the one he loved. _

_Acnologia wanted Lisanna to get close to Lucy and to take advantage of Lucy and Natsu to get into Leafre. That dragon wanted what was, as Lisanna had learned not too long ago, rightfully Lucy's. She didn't want to betray anyone. She'd just gotten back from Edolas not too long ago. She'd barely been able to restart her life. She didn't want to lose everything again. Not so soon, not ever!_

_Lisanna did hold a little jealousy in her heart, but that didn't mean she was ever going to demonstrate her jealousy. But now, it was different. It's been said that emotions are the most powerful of magics there are. Acnologia didn't want Lucy to get hurt until after he got what he wanted. So, to avoid letting the dragon get what he wanted either Lucy had to die or she had to be aware of what was going to happen. She hated the idea of killing Lucy. She hated herself even more for thinking something like that in the first place, but what would Lucy think? Would she put her kingdom before herself? Lisanna decided that it didn't matter, because she wasn't going to kill Lucy. No, she was going to get her attention, throw a little red flag that screamed, "Hey, something's up!"_

_When Acnologia released Lisanna from his dark cavern the first place Lisanna headed was to wherever Lucy was. Acnologia had helped a bit on that part, much to Lisanna's dismay. But instead of using Lucy she attacked. She let her small bits of jealousy speak for her, unwillingly saying stuff like, "You stole him from me," or "How dare you take him from me?" _

'_Please… Please notice, Lucy! Something is wrong! Please!' Lisanna thought desperately as she continued to attack Lucy. Things had gotten bad. Lucy wasn't really going to defend herself, was she? Had she trusted Lisanna that much? If Lisanna had any control over it, she would've begun to cry. Lucy really was a great person. Natsu deserved nothing but the best, and Lucy was that. _

_Her sister had come with some of the other guild members. Relief had washed over Lisanna like a warm, comforting blanket. They were going to help. Someone must've known something and rushed to help. Thank goodness, things could turn out to be alright after all. _

**~End Flashback~**

"-anna? Lisanna!" Mirajane's voice shouted. Lisanna snapped back into reality. Was it her sister that had known something was wrong with her? Was she the reason she felt so safe right now?

"C-can you untie me?" Lisanna asked softly. "Please?"

Lucy looked over to Gajeel expectantly. The Iron Dragon Slayer's eyes went wide.

"You can't be serious! Bunny-girl, she just tried to kill you!" Gajeel exclaimed in alarm. Lucy shook her head and pointed to the iron ropes that bound her friend.

"Now, Gajeel!" Lucy commanded. Gajeel reluctantly replied. Geez, if anything bad happened to her that Gajeel could've prevented, he'd feel like shit about it. Not only did he now know that it was his job to protect her, but if anything happened to Bunny-girl, Levy would really be pissed!

Lisanna's face was adorned with a small, appreciative smile. Lucy trusted her.

"Lisanna Strauss, am I correct?" Luka asked the girl who was now shaking herself free of the loose iron ropes. Lisanna looked up to meet the dragon's gaze and jumped back away from the dragon. There was a dragon there. How could it be a coincidence that there just happened to be another dragon on Earthland other than Acnologia? And what were the chances that she'd meet them both in such a short time period?

"Hush, child. Don't worry, you have no reason to fear me," Luka said reassuringly, a kind smile gracing her reptilian features.

"_Lucy, she's scared that I may be Acnologia," _Luka informed her master through her thoughts. Lucy looked over to her dragon and nodded in understanding. She turned back to Lisanna.

"I guess it's time for proper introductions," Lucy laughed lightly. "Everyone, this is Luka," the blonde said gesturing toward her beautiful Elemental Dragon. Natsu, of course, knew Luka. But, the others took the opportunity to really look at the beautiful creature. How hadn't they noticed before just how amazing and majestic she really looked?

"You really don't have anything to worry about, Lisanna. I serve my master, and any friend of my master is a friend of mine!" Luka exclaimed happily with a childish grin on her face. Lisanna relaxed a bit, letting her nerves calm down. Luka didn't seem dangerous to her. Maybe she really didn't have to be so concerned.

"What happened that caused you to attack Lucy?" Erza suddenly questioned demandingly. Lisanna jumped at the sudden loudness of Erza's voice.

"Erza! Calm yourself! There is an explanation, but you must let Lisanna tell us on her own. I can smell the stench of Acnologia all over her," Luka said, silencing the red-haired mage. Erza gaped at the dragon, but admitted defeat on the matter. There was no way she'd win against that dragon, and Luka did have a point.

"No, it's okay," Lisanna said suddenly. "I'll tell you right now, but first," Lisanna began. She got up and threw herself at Lucy, wrapping her arms tightly around the blonde. "Thank you so much! Thank you for understanding, for noticing that something was wrong!" Lisanna cried in appreciation. Lucy hugged Lisanna back and smiled.

"Acnologia wants to take over Leafre," Lisanna began to explain. She pulled away from Lucy and clasped her hands behind her back. "He was going to use me to get to you and Natsu, to get close to you and then take Leafre away from right under your noses. I didn't want to, but he somehow started to control me."

Lisanna looked from Lucy to Natsu.

"I found out about the relationship between you two," Lisanna admitted sheepishly. "I was just a little bit jealous, but never enough to try and hurt you because of that. After I somehow showed up here I let that little bit of jealousy out. I hoped that maybe you would notice that something was wrong." Lisanna stepped forward and grasped Lucy's wrists in her hands. "You know that I wouldn't hurt you over something as stupid as jealousy, right?" Lisanna asked hopefully. Lucy smiled at her and nodded.

"Of course, you're my nakama, too!" Lucy explained happily. The young transformation mage smiled gratefully.

"You see, Acnologia didn't want you dead until after he got what he wanted. He can't get into Leafre without your help, apparently. So… I figured that if I did attack you, maybe Acnologia would reconsider his choosing me to 'help' him. Not only that, but I prayed that you would notice something was wrong. And if…" Lisanna stopped and dropped Lucy's wrists and let her hands hang at her side. "If worst came to worst, then if I did somehow accidently kill you, Acnologia would never get what he wanted." Lisanna sniffed and wiped a small tear away from her eye. "It was a terrible thought, but I figured that if nothing else you'd want to keep your kingdom away from Acnologia," Lisanna explained with a quivering voice.

"It's okay," Lucy said soothingly, pulling her friend into an embrace. "I'm glad you did what you did," Lucy said with a kind smile. "I don't hold anything against you."

Everyone smiled warmly at the scene unfolding in front of them. Two of the guild's most lovable people; there was no confusion as to why there were just that. Such kindness and selflessness couldn't be replicated.

Luka shook her head. Humans were so forgetful. They couldn't kill Lucy, it would be suicide for the dragons. Didn't Acnologia know that?

"_Lucy, I have to go check on something," _Luka informed her master. She unfurled her wings silently and took off into the sky.

**~Elsewhere~**

"Damn that brat!" Acnologia cursed. "She's stronger than I thought," the dragon mused.

He paced back and forth throughout his dark cavern he had called his home for the time being. He could believe that he'd been banished from Leafre, but to the human word; that was something he didn't expect. What did the Elder Dragons have in store for him? The Black Dragon chuckled darkly. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to be good; just the way Acnologia liked it.

The dragon stopped pacing and looked toward the entrance to his cave.

"Luka, what are you doing?" he wondered out loud. Another dark chuckle rippled throughout the cave. "Are you that infatuated with Igneel that you must put our entire race's existence in jeopardy?" he wondered. He gritted his sharp teeth and swiftly turned to face the opposite direction.

"What's so great about that flaming lizard, anyways? What can he do that I can't?" Acnologia roared furiously. "Why did you choose him over me?"

"You had a dark past, Acnologia," a soft, feminine voice echoed through the Black Dragon's cave. He turned to see a beautiful, silver-scaled dragon that sparkled even without any light to bounce off of her scales.

"Luka," Acnologia breathed out.

"I'm not sure what it is you're up to, but stop it," Luka said seriously. She fixed a stone cold glare on him.

"Now, now, Luka dear, you always assume I'm up to something, don't you?" the dark-scaled dragon asked with amusement. He took a step towards Luka who in turn let a warning growl rip from her throat.

"You won't lay a claw on my master or Leafre," Luka demanded. "Why are you even doing this?" Luka asked furiously. Acnologia chuckled darkly at her words.

"Luka-chan, you haven't figured it out yet?" he mused taking another step towards her. "This is all your fault, you know?"

"Because I refused to be with you? Your reasoning is faulty, Acnologia. Me not being with you is your fault entirely," Luka snickered smugly.

"Because of what I had done in the past, you didn't trust me. Luka, I would've done anything for you. I was willing to change, to completely start over," Acnologia said softly. He got closer to Luka and nuzzled his snout against the underside of her neck.

"Don't touch me!" Luka growled as she reeled back.

"Luka, I would still do anything for you," Acnologia said stepping towards her once again. "That's what this is about. Everything I'm doing now, it's all for you, Luka."

"What are you talking about, you delusional dragon?" Luka asked through clenched teeth.

"Me? Delusional? I think you're confused. That's why I'm helping you. I plan on killing your little master."

"That'll kill us all, you idiot!" Luka exclaimed anxiously.

"Exactly! If I can't have you then no one will. You're confused, Luka. You think that you love Igneel, and since I can't convince you you're wrong, the only cure to your confusion is death. We'll all die, together," Acnologia explained in a disturbingly calm tone.

"You're sick, Acnologia!" Luka snapped in repulsion. "What kind of twisted logic is that? You'd rather die than try to move on?" Luka shook her head in dismay. "You say you're willing to do anything for me?" she questioned doubtfully. Acnologia nodded and gave her a soft, warm smile. It was the kind of smile that no one would expect Acnologia even know how to make.

"Prove that then," Luka said.

"I've tried!" Acnologia countered Luka. "I really have. I tried to reason with the Elder Dragons, though it seemed to backfire," Acnologia said sadly.

"What… what did you do?" Luka asked with anxiety and fear dripping from her voice.

"I- I tried to reason with the Elders, to make them see that what you and the others were doing wasn't bad. I—"

"You- you told them? It was you?" Luka asked in disbelief. Large tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. Acnologia hung his head ashamedly and nodded.

"I didn't mean for things to get so out of control. I was so confident that they would listen that I didn't think about what would happen if they didn't. I'm so sorry Luka."

"No! How could you? I tried to trust you, and you went behind my back and betrayed me?" Luka growled furiously. "You did something as stupid as that and now what? You're trying to kill the dragons! I fail to see where your logic makes any sense at all!" Luka shouted furiously.

Acnologia let a smug smirk slip onto his face.

"Oh, but you will soon enough, Luka-chan," Acnologia purred. Luka growled once more before she flew out of the cavern swiftly and without hesitation. She needed to get out of there.

Acnologia sighed. 'Please do see it soon," he thought. 'I don't know how much more I can take of this. Please, Luka…. Save me.'

* * *

**END NOTE: How was it? Are you guys confused with the plot? I'm really sorry if you are, but if you've managed to keep up, the kudos to you! You're awesome! Who else was surprised by what Acnologia ended up saying at the end there? Believe it or not, this IS all planned out in my head. The chapters aren't pre-written, but I feel like I do an awesome job with typing these chapters. I'm proud of myself. But none of that matters if you guys don't like it. So, did you like it? Let me know! Review please. I hope none of my followers have abandoned me... **

**To my guild mates: There you guys go. The wait is over. Now I need to type the rest of part 2 of Writer's Block. Then, maybe I'll update Kingdom Keys. :) I know Lisanna will love that! Anyways, bye for now! (PIE PIE~!**

**~Alice-chan**


	34. Chapter 34

**AN/: hey readers! It's been so long since I've updated this story. It's due to some rude reviewers and some idea copy-cats that, unfortunately, were the reasons for the rude reviews. I've noticed that there have been a lot of stories popping up that sure do sound a LOT like mine. I'm flattered that some of you like my story enough to copy it, but it's rude to something like that without the writer's permission first. I ask all of you to be on the lookout for these stories and to help me take care of this little "copy-cat" problem. I also received a review stating that they they, the reviewer, was tired of reading stories that were all the same. Then, when I summarized the story for them to show them how my story was unique, they didn't even have the decency to read that. **

**One thing I'm going to say right now, and this goes for all of my stories, if you don't like it, then don't read it and don't review it. I'll take criticism, but not like that. Don't tell me my story is horrible or that you've read tons of stories like mine so you're not gonna read the rest of mine if you aren't willing to hear what I have to say about it. Criticize me on my writing style, technique, grammar, spelling, and other stuff, because if you don't like it then you can close out of this story now!**

**Now that that's out of the way... I wrote a really long chapter for you guys! Seven pages worth! **

**I also dedicate this chapter to my good friend Samrit! She recently got into a pretty bad accident and is currently in the hospital. This chapter is for her! I love you Lisanna! This chapter is for you!**

**DISCLAIMER: Obviously, I don't own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does! But, Enjoy this chapter! **

* * *

"Lucy, we must be leaving soon," Luka said as she gracefully landed in front of her master. The Elemental Dragon had flown straight back to her master after her little chat with the Black Dragon, Acnologia. His words had worried her more than she showed.

"And where is it that _we'll _be going?" Erza asked sternly. Luka chuckled lightly, and slightly shook her head.

"To Leafre, of course," Luka responded. Lucy let out a quiet gasp. Did they really have to leave so soon? The Elemental Dragon Master swallowed hard before she called out to her dragon soundlessly.

'_What about my training? I thought you said that I could learn more before we had to leave,' _Lucy told Luka. She saw her dragon's expression shift to a serious one, worry and fear written on her scaly face.

"_I have faith in you, Master. When the time comes, you'll be ready for it. But we must leave now," _Luka responded silently. Lucy disappointedly nodded in understanding, although she didn't quite understand.

"We must head to the Dragon Realm of Leafre, but we must be cautious," Luka said addressing all of the mages that surrounded her. She sent a frown in Lucy's direction. "At this point, I don't really know what may happen next. But one thing I know for certain is that we must make a move now, or it may be too late," the dragon said gravely.

Lucy nodded sternly. She felt like she knew now why they had to be careful. She also felt as if she knew what to do. The feeling of raw determination settled in and it tingled down her spine and buzzed on the tips of her fingers like electricity.

Lucy reached for her keys that hung securely on her belt loop. She always had her keys with her. Even though she had a new and stronger magic, her Celestial Spirits were her friends. But, it wasn't a celestial gate key she was reaching for. Her slender fingers wrapped around the smooth and finely cut key that sparkled brilliantly at her side. It outshined the others tremendously by comparison. Lucy expertly removed the key from the key ring and held it out in front of her, ready to open the gate to her kingdom.

"Anyone who doesn't want to come should speak up now," Lucy warned. Everyone was silent for a moment until a lonely cough broke through the air.

"I would like to stay behind, if that's alright," Lisanna said softly. All eyes were placed on Lisanna. She nervously clasped her hands together behind her back as she averted her gaze and stared at the ground intently. "I feel like I've been enough trouble as it is," she explained ashamedly. Lucy slowly let her arm drop to her side.

"What do you mean, Lisanna?" Lucy asked. Now all eyes were on the blonde mage. They knew what Lisanna meant, how could Lucy not understand? Lisanna's eyes widened at Lucy's words, her response being unexpected. "If it wasn't for you we wouldn't have known about Acnologia's plans," Lucy reasoned. "Sure you may have caused a bit of trouble, but it wasn't your fault."

"She's right, you know," Natsu added. "Now that we know Acnologia is involved we can better prepare ourselves, even if it is for the worst."

"I hate to admit it, but I agree with Flame Brain over there," Gray said with a sigh. He shoved his hands in his pants pockets; surprisingly enough, he was at least still wearing his pants. Though, his shirt had been lost a while ago. "Even though you almost killed Ash-For-Brains' girlfriend, you had… good intentions… I guess."

"But, maybe Lisanna has a point," Erza retorted. Heads were cocked to the side in confusion and some held more anger than others. A statement like that wasn't something Erza would normally say to her nakama, regardless of what they had done. "If Acnologia was able to control her once, then how do we know he won't do it again?" Erza pointed out. Murmurs of slight agreement sounded in the group. "Perhaps it is that she is trying to be cautious," Erza finished. Again, all eyes were on Lisanna watch her expectantly, waiting for a response.

Lisanna nodded and tightened her now clenched fists that hung at her side. Lucy frowned sadly and walked over to the white-haired girl that was still hanging her head in shame.

"You're scared?" Lucy asked. Once again, Lisanna nodded. Lucy sighed and unknowingly began to twirl her Universal Gate Key in her fingers. "Then, I'll just have to make sure you don't have a reason to be scared," Lucy said with determination. She stopped twirling her key and clutched it in her palm. "If you're really that scared, you could go back to the guild and tell the others what we've decided to do," Lucy suggested. "We're gonna need all the help we can get with this, even if it's something small like taking care of a mission that I can't tend to anymore," Lucy finished with a smile.

Lisanna was staring at Lucy with her eyes wide in amazement. Lucy was really great; she couldn't be compared to anyone that she knew. She couldn't think of one person that could stand up to Lucy when it came to her kindness, determination, and overall ability to care for others. A bright smile slid gracefully onto Lisanna's lips. The guild was lucky to have such a great member.

"Thank you," Lisanna said almost inaudibly. She took a deep breath and held her head high. "I'll go back to the guild and tell everyone what's going on. I'll make sure that mission gets taken care of. You can count on me Lucy!" Lisanna said with determination.

"I'm going to join Lisanna in going back to the guild," Mirajane said stepping forward to stand next to her younger sister. "Just make sure you all come back safe and sound," she said sternly. The group chuckled in amusement at her words, knowing the seriousness behind them but understanding the playfulness in them as well. "We should be heading out now, then. They need to hurry up, Lisanna," Mirajane said addressing her sister. Lisanna nodded and began to follow her sister, but stopped abruptly.

"Lucy," Lisanna began, turning to face Lucy once more, "I'm so glad that I met you," she said with a soft smile. She ran over to her to give her a warm hug. "I know that I'll always be proud to say that you're my friend. So make sure you all come back, you hear me?" she said with tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

"Lisanna," Lucy said baffled. Lisanna pulled away from Lucy and walked over to Natsu who was not too far away.

"And you better treat her right or I'll be the first one to give Death your address!" Lisanna shouted at her childhood friend. Natsu chuckled nervously and scooted closer to Lucy hoping that she would at least help him out. The others chuckled as well.

"And I will beat you so hard into the ground that you'll pop out on the other side of the earth!" Erza yelled. The color drained from Natsu's face as he nervously began to sweat and shake in fear. Laughter rung out and Lucy gasped playfully.

"What, you're planning on leaving me or something?" Lucy asked pretending to be offended.

"N-no, but just imagining it is scary enough," Natsu answered.

"Well, if you guys want I can open a gate back to the guild," Lucy offered. The two nodded gratefully. With that Lucy flick her arm up into position. "Open, gate to the guild of Magnolia, Fairy Tail!" Lucy shouted and she turned her key to open the gate.

"Thanks, Lucy!" Lisanna shouted as she stepped through the gate.

"Lucy, we should get that little Sky Dragon Slayer while we're at it. She may be useful in Leafre," Luka said. Lucy nodded and rushed through the gate after Mira and Lisanna. The gate closed behind her, but she knew she could just reopen it.

"Lucy, why'd you come?" Lisanna asked curiously.

"Oh, I'm here to get Wendy, if she's here," Lucy answered. She looked around to see if she could find the little, blue-haired mage.

"Lucy-san?" her petit voice rang out. Lucy turned to see Wendy standing behind her. "You were looking for me?" she asked innocently. Lucy nodded and smiled.

"Would you mind coming with me, Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Gajeel to Leafre?" Lucy asked sweetly. Wendy perked up happily.

"Really? You want me to go with you guys?" she asked surprised. Lucy nodded. The small mage quickly agreed and soon after Lucy was opening another gate back to her friends. When she stepped through the gate again she greeted her friends and prepared to make the journey to Leafre.

"So, what's the plan?" Gajeel asked gruffly. Lucy quickly extended her arm out in front of her again, her Universal Gate Key glistening brightly in her hand.

"We're going to go to Leafre, but we must not let ourselves be discovered. The key here will be stealth," Lucy explained. "We're going to do a little spying."

"Why not just go and take them out now?" Natsu asked casually. "I bet we could do it." Lucy threw a glare at her boyfriend. "Or, we could spy. Spying is good."

"There could be more to this than we think. We need to gather all the information we can," Lucy said after heaving a large sigh. She steadied herself and readied her magic.

"Open, gate to the realm of the dragons, Leafre!" Lucy shouted turning her key to unlock the magic gate that formed in front of her. The gate opened and glowed brilliantly.

"Whoa, that was actually pretty cool, Bunny-girl," Gajeel commented.

"Yes, very well done, Lucy," Erza agreed. Lucy just smiled with pride. She placed her key back on her key ring with her other keys. She turned to face the others and placed her hands on her hips.

"Okay, Luka will head in first to scout ahead. Remember," Lucy said turning to Luka, "don't be seen." Luka nodded sternly in reply and quickly, quietly, and swiftly flew through the gate. "Next, me and Natsu will go through followed by Erza and Gray. Wendy and Gajeel, you'll come after Erza, okay?" Lucy looked at the others to see if they were okay with the plan.

"No," Natsu protested. "You'll be going last," he demanded gently pushing Lucy away from the gate. He lightly gripped Wendy's shoulder and pulled her forward. With his other hand he yanked Gajeel forward. "We'll be going through the gate next. Then Erza and Gray will follow us, and you'll step through last," Natsu insisted.

"But, why—" Lucy had begun, but Natsu wouldn't allow her to finish.

"You're not going through first, end of story," Natsu said with finality clear in his voice. His decision wasn't going to change. Lucy sighed nodded.

"But, will you at least tell me why?" Lucy asked pleadingly. Natsu smiled softly and reached over to gently brush a lock of her golden hair away from her face.

"It's our job to protect you," Natsu reminded her. "It's _my _job to protect you," he said softly, brushing her cheek softly with his thumb. "We don't know if it'll be safe, so you have to stay behind until we give the okay, got it?" he asked tenderly. Lucy rolled her eyes and pouted.

"Well, I don't _have _to stay behind. I could go if I wanted to," Lucy mumbled quietly in protest. Natsu chuckled and stepped closer to her. He lowered his head and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. She was so cute when she pouted, but there was no way he was going to risk her safety. They would be going into a world where some of the most powerful creatures there wanted her captured and under their control. He didn't want to take any chances.

"Yes, you do," he countered. He heard Lucy grumble in protest and he sighed. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. "Promise me you won't step through the gate until we say it's safe," Natsu demanded.

"But, Natsu it's my kingdom!" Lucy retorted trying to push him away from her. He only tightened his arms around her.

"Yes, and there are also a bunch of power hungry dragons who don't want you to take back your kingdom. It's not safe and it's my job to keep you safe! Not only as you bodyguard, but as your boyfriend as well! I'm not letting you go through that gate until I know that it's safe!" Natsu yelled causing Lucy to flinch. It was silent after that, and Natsu kept his grip on Lucy.

"Fine," Lucy finally mumbled sadly. Natsu slackened his hold on her and pulled away enough to see her face. He gripped her arms with his hands and squeezed them reassuringly.

"We won't be long, I promise. You'll be stepping through that gate before you know it," Natsu said. A small smile slid onto his face. He was going to keep Lucy safe no matter what. Just knowing that made him happy.

Lucy turned her head from him and pouted. She wanted to be the first on to go through the gate. It was her kingdom and she would feel terrible in someone she cared about got hurt in _her _kingdom. She'd feel responsible. She wanted to avoid that, and to avoid that she'd have to go through first. But Natsu was against that. In his defense though, he wasn't aware of her intentions. Lucy supposed that he really did just want to keep her safe. But even so, that didn't mean she had to be happy about it.

"Lucy," Natsu said after she turned away from him. "Look at me," he said softly. "Lucy!" He said louder grabbing her chin and turning her head so that she would face him. She made eye contact with him for a few mere seconds before she averted her gaze. Natsu sighed. "Think of it this way, what help can you give your kingdom if—"

"I get it, okay," Lucy sighed. "It's just that I wanted to—"

"I know what you wanted to do," Natsu interrupted her. "I know you better than anyone. You'll feel responsible if anyone gets hurt while they're in _your _kingdom. And you can do that once we make sure that _you'll _be safe, understand?" Natsu asked. Natsu stared at her with a hard gaze when she finally looked at him once more. But his softened his gaze as soon as her warm, chocolate-brown eyes locked with his.

Lucy sighed in defeat. There was no way she was going to win against his argument. There was a small part of her that didn't really want to either. She trusted him with her life. After all, he'd saved it so many times before, why would he fail now? She bit down on her lower lip.

"I swear to god you better come back to get me!" she yelled at him as she threw her arms around his neck. Natsu smiled and wrapped an arm around her torso as he let his other hand hest on the back of her head so he could hold her close for a little while longer.

"Of course I will," he assured her. He pushed her away and captured her lips with his own. The kiss was as mind blowing as the first time… and the second time. Natsu hoped that each and every kiss he shared with Lucy would be just as amazing as the one before it.

Natsu released her and lightly stroked her face before he turned to the gate, which surprisingly was still open, and stepped toward it.

"Come on you guys," he said to Wendy and Gajeel. "Erza, Gray, wait at least ten minutes before you step through, got it?" The two said mages nodded in response. "Then, I'll come back and get Lucy," he finished. With that Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel left the other three to enter the kingdom of Leafre.

"I've never seen him act that way toward anyone before," Erza said after Natsu and the others had disappeared through the gate. Lucy looked over to Erza with questioning eyes and scrunched up eyebrows.

"Neither have I," Gray agreed. "It was actually…" Gray trailed off.

"Adorable," Erza finished rather absentmindedly. Gray silently nodded in agreement.

"What do you guys mean?" Lucy asked.

"I've never seen Natsu act so… protective over someone," Erza explained. "I've never seen him kiss anyone before either," she added with a soft chuckle. "I honestly didn't think he knew how to be gentle, but I've never seen anyone treat anyone as gently as he just did."

"I didn't think he could do anything but break stuff," Gray snickered amusedly. Lucy rolled her eyes and scoffed at Gray's words.

"I used to be just as destructive as him when I was little," Lucy said. "But I can be gentle, too."

The time went by rather slowly. Finally, Erza began to walk toward the gate and she motioned Gray to follow her, which he did without question. Lucy sat down on the ground and began to pick at the grass. She watched at the two disappeared behind the gate, Gray pausing before entering.

"You really shouldn't worry about whether he's gonna come back to get you," Gray said turning to look at Lucy. "I can tell by the way he looks at you; he wouldn't leave you behind if he wasn't going to come back. He wouldn't do it in a million years."

"Gray," Lucy said softly. She smiled kindly at him. "I know," she practically whispered. "Thank you, though." Gray smiled back at her and turned to step through the gate leaving Lucy by herself.

Instantly she felt lonely. How she ever let Natsu convince her to stay here all by herself she would never truly know. But, she figured that maybe it was for the best. Natsu really was the sweetest guys she'd ever met. Sure he could be blunt and dense, destructive, noisy, sloppy, careless, insensitive, and just a handful, but when he wasn't being any of those things, he was the most amazing person Lucy had ever met. He was everything that Lucy had ever wanted in the man she'd spend the rest of her life with.

Their last kill was enthralling. It had her heart racing and her mind spinning like it did when they'd first kissed that day in her apartment. Lucy was sure that after that kiss she wouldn't be able to argue against him over anything, and she made a mental note not to let him kiss her if she was mad at him.

The blonde sighed as she tore another blade of grass from the ground and tossed it to the side. She really hoped she would have to wait too long.

* * *

"Natsu, you anywhere close?" Gray yelled out. A warm hand clapped itself over his mouth and he jumped startled, ready to attack.

"It's me, you idiot!" Natsu yelled in a loud whisper. He slowly removed his hand from Gray's mouth and he sighed with irritation. "We may be discovered if you yell like that! This is a dragon world you dumbass!" he said, again, in a loud whisper.

"Geez, sorry," Gray halfheartedly apologized.

"How are things here looking so far?" Erza asked. "Any signs of trouble?" The requip mage put her hands on her hips as she looked around what appeared to be an open and spread out forest.

"Not so far, but I found this gorgeous lake just outside the edge of the forest," Natsu answered. They were all talking relatively normally now, but still kept their voices down. "Come on," Natsu beckoned them. They followed him to the shore of a truly beautiful lake. It glistened in the setting sun of Leafre. The water rippled gently and each and every time it did so it seemed as if a million stars flickered in the water. The surface had an orange tint to it that made the water look like liquid gold.

Gray and Erza stepped forward out of the cover of the forest and gaped at the magnificent sight. They breathed out words of amazement and awe as they ventured out further. Panicked, Natsu scrambled to pull them back into the cover of the trees.

"What the heck, Natsu?" Gray questioned with irritation.

"You can't just walk out there! You could be seen!" Natsu warned. He poked his head carefully out of the trees and peered to the right. He motioned the other two to look as well, and they too carefully followed his gaze. Their eyes were met by the most magnificent palace they'd ever seen.

The palace stood tall and proud; its towers extended high into the sky. Its walls were built with fine, grey stone that none of them had a name for. But it looked sturdy and tough, yet elegant and beautiful. In a way, it looked like the kind of castle that you would see in small children's fairy tale stories; the kind that was elaborate and grand enough for royalty, as the human world would put it.

"Isn't it beautiful, the palace?" Luka's voice rang out in quiet question. The three jumped in surprise but swiftly turned to find that Luka had ever so quietly snuck her way right behind them.

"Yes, it's the most beautiful castle I've ever seen!" Erza said with adoration. Luka nodded in agreement. "It will be the most beautiful castle you will ever see. It was built with the help of human and dragon magic together. This castle is the product of what was the bond between the humans and dragons. Besides, it _was _built for royalty," Luka explained. The three looked back at the castle.

"What you're looking at right now is the Grand Palace of Leafre," Natsu said. Gray and Erza stared at Natsu incredulously. "I remember coming here once when I was young." Natsu smiled tenderly at the memory. "I used to live here with Igneel," Natsu admitted. "I'm starting to remember everything now that I'm actually here."

"Perhaps all of you young Dragon Slayers will regain your memories while you're here," Luka wondered aloud. "Well, I didn't see anything that could trouble us to the point where it's unsafe for Lucy to step through the gate. Why don't you go and get her, Natsu, she's feeling depressingly lonely!" Luka said with a pout on her dragon face.

That was right; Luka must've been able to tell all of that because of the connection between the two. Natsu had almost forgotten about that whole connection thing. But, Luka was right. Natsu hadn't seen anything too threatening either. He knew that it would be best to keep their distance from the palace, but other than that there wasn't any monsters running about all over the place. Now, all Natsu had to do was get Lucy and they could go and gather all the info they needed.

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**Dedicated to Samrit**

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**END NOTE: How was it? was it terrible, great? Now, when I ask if it was terrible, I mean did you like this chapter or dislike it FROM A FAN'S POINT OF VIEW! I don't want to hear that it's terrible just because you don't like the story that much. *sigh* I'm sorry I'm still really mad about that. But whatever. **

**The plot so far: Lucy is the Dragon Princess, Lucy Natsuko Heartfilia. Her mother was the queen. The Elder Dragons want to capture Lucy and keep her under their control because they're tired of being ruled by humans. They would kill her if they could, but they'd die without her there. Acnologia wants Lucy dead for some reason, and it has also been revealed that there was some kind of relationship between Luka and Acnologia. **

**:) I hope that helped some of you out! Well, I'm kind of tired, so I think I might just chill and listen to music and read stories. Review please! It would make me so happy to know that my readers haven't given up on this story! I love you all... except you haters out there... I adore you just because I think it's make you mad... LOL Well, until next time...**

**~Alice-chan (Mirajane)**

**Pie~!**


	35. Note and Drabbles

**AN/: Hey everyone! Sorry this isn't an actual chapter, but I did write some random drabbles for you guys. I hope you like them! My birthday is tomorrow and I'm not sure what we'll be doing for that. I just updated Unkept Secrets, but I think that might be all for today. I haven't even started typing the next chapter of The Dragon Masters, but I should really get on that, shouldn't I? I know I'm not allowed to upload chapters without some kind of story content, so that's why I put the drabbles in here. I wanted to let you guys know that I may not update until the end of the month possibly. I've got exams coming up and that's all crazy! Studying like crazy... not really but you know how it goes. I've also posted a new poll on my profile about possible Fairy Tail crossovers I can do in the future. Of course, I won't be working on them any time relatively soon, but still... Anyways, that's the end of the note. So here's you're story portion. Heh, maybe I should publish a story with stuff like this in it, ne? ENJOY!**

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**Wait, what?**

Lucy: We're going on this mission!

Lucy: No we're not! We just got back from one!

Natsu: Yes we are!

Lucy: No we're not!

Natsu: Yes!

Lucy: No!

Natsu: YES!

Lucy: GAAAAAAH! Fuck you Natsu!

Natsu: … You mean that?

Lucy: What are you talking about?

Natsu: I'm gonna hold you to that.

Lucy: … Wait… What?

Natsu: So how about 8pm at your place?

Lucy: … Huh? O.o

Natsu: See ya later, babe!

Lucy: ….. Wait, what!?

* * *

**The Hunger of Lucy**

"I'm so hungry!" Lucy complained loudly.

"Me too!" Natsu yelled in agreement. His stomach growled loudly.

"ERZA! Stop at a restaurant so I can stuff my face!" Lucy said with a smile on her face simply thinking about it. "I haven't eaten all day and I need to eat. You don't want to see me when I get this hungry!"

"Why?" Natsu questioned. "What are you like when you get really hungry?"

"I eat like you," Lucy replied casually as she continued to stroll along with the rest of her team. Natsu gawked at her.

"I think I'm in love!"

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**Sleepy Lucy**

"Lucy, what's wrong with you?" Natsu asked slightly intrigued by his blonde teammate's behavior. He blushed slightly.

"Natsu, I'm so tired. If I fall on my face, will you catch me?" she asked as almost landed on him again. Natsu blushed again.

"Of course I will! I caught you when you jumped off a building!" Natsu reminded her baffled that she even had to ask.

"Okay, thanks," she replied sleepily. She started to fall over again and almost dropped to the ground, but she hit Natsu's muscular arm instead, leaning on it for support. She felt herself start to go down again and she quickly wrapped her arms around the Dragon Slayer, causing a deeper blush to paint his cheeks. Lucy nuzzled her face into his side.

"Lucy." His blush deepened.

"You're so warm… and huggable… like a fluffy teddy bear," Lucy said cutely as she pulled herself closer to Natsu.

"Uh, thanks," Natsu mumbled his face the color of Erza's hair. Lucy hummed happily.

"I love you," she murmured with a small cute smile on her lips. Natsu's blush didn't cease or lessen. He smiled tenderly down at her and placed his large hand on her silky smooth hair.

"I love you, too."


	36. Chapter 36

**AN/: Hey! I know you're all excited that I updated a REAL chapter this time! I'm excited too. Unfortunately, I feel like this story is coming to a close. Don't worry though, There WILL be more chapters for you to enjoy. This chapter isn't as short as some of my other ones, but it's not as long either. I feel bad, you guys deserve a longer chapter. I finished with exams! HORRAAAAYYYY! But now me and my friend are rushing to get my novel typed up in time to meet the deadline for the PUSH Novel Contest! I'm submitting my novel, Dissidia! Is anyone else as excited as I am!? Anyways, you're not here to listen to me ramble on, you're here to read. So enjoy! Don't forget to review please!**

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Lucy stared at the still open gate. Where were the others? They really needed to hurry up. Lucy could feel her magic depleting more and more with each passing second. She couldn't keep the gate open forever, and she didn't want to. Even so, she allowed her mind to wander as it pleased. She wondered if she'd remember the land beyond the gate, if she'd recognize it at all. She remembered the palace, well the inside, at least. That place had been her and her mother's safe haven in Leafre. Lucy knew, through what knowledge of the subject she had, that as long as she was in the palace, she'd be safe. If the Elder Dragons had really wanted her mother dead that badly, then they would've killed her themselves instead of waiting for her to die. Lucy assumed that the palace must've been protected somehow, but she knew that it would still be her safe haven as it once had been.

Natsu stalked back through the forest to the gate. The least everyone else could do was go with him. No, he had to go back all alone while they "planned" a strategy. Even Luka hadn't believed a word of that. Though, he supposed he didn't really mind. Lucy would be there to walk back with him. He didn't like the thought of walking around alone anymore. It had been creepy enough the first time, but he'd done it for Lucy.

Up ahead he saw the gate. It was still open thankfully. Lucy must've been running out of magic keeping it open that long. What had he been thinking?! He hastened his pace toward the gate and quickly stepped through it. He was relieved when he saw Lucy sitting on the ground looking perfectly fine.

"Hey," Natsu greeted his girlfriend. "Did we keep you waiting long?" Lucy huffed and stood from her spot, folding her arms over her chest.

"Yes, yes you did!" Lucy responded with irritation. "I told you that I should've gone through first! You could've been killed for all I knew!" Natsu scoffed and folded his arms across his chest.

"You seemed perfectly content just sitting on the ground not even a minute ago," Natsu retorted. Lucy rolled her eyes at him and playfully punched him in the arm.

"If you would've been gone any longer I would've been worried sick…" Lucy mumbled. Natsu chuckled at her and rested his hand on her back as he pushed her toward the gate.

"Come on, we should get going. I don't want you using any more of your magic." Lucy nodded and stepped through the gate. "The others are off near the edge of the forest, probably still looking at the palace," Natsu said. Lucy snapped her gaze toward him almost with urgency.

"The palace?" Lucy asked. Natsu nodded slowly, wary of her tone and the sudden urgency that it held. "Which way is it?" she practically shouted. Natsu held his hands out in front of him to try and calm her. They were both through the gate now, and Lucy had let the gate close behind her.

"Now Lucy, I think it'd be safer to avoid the palace, don't you? The Elder Dragons could have surveillance on that place," Natsu reasoned. Lucy wouldn't hear of it.

"Going to the palace is the best plan we have!" Lucy argued. Natsu scratched the back of his neck. "Trust me."

Natsu was at a loss for what to do. He wanted Lucy to be safe, and he didn't really mind the idea of saving his own neck while keeping her safe at the same time. Would going to the palace really help them?

"Maybe we should ask the others what they think," Natsu suggested. Lucy sighed and nodded. She guessed it wouldn't hurt. The two walked through the trees, Lucy following behind Natsu until she caught a whiff of the others' scents. Then, she bolted off ahead of Natsu. "Lucy!" Natsu called after her, but it seemed that she ignored him. He swore that he could practically see the grin on her face, and he probably would if she'd turned around. He chuckled at her, never had he known her to be the type of person to recklessly dive into things. Maybe he'd rubbed off on her after all. The thought slightly scared him.

Lucy spotted them easily. Luka was lying in the wide are that the trees were absent in. Wendy was sitting on top of Luka's snout petting the dragon's nose. Erza was standing next to Luka's belly, Gray was sitting on the dragon's front leg, and Gajeel was pretending that he _wasn't _cowering in fear on the other side of the dragon after attempting to eat one of Erza's swords. That was really a bad move; he'd never try anything that stupid again.

"You're finally here," Erza said when she spotted Lucy approaching. Lucy nodded happily and Natsu came up behind her with an amused look on his face. His eyes were on the Iron Dragon Slayer behind Luka.

"Yeah, it took you guys long enough to give me the okay," Lucy snorted. Erza glared slightly, and it was still enough to send a shiver down the blonde's spine. "So, Natsu told me you guys were looking at the palace," Lucy began. She looked around trying to catch a sight of the place that would soon serve as a safe base for Team Natsu minus Happy and plus Gajeel and Wendy. Her eyes landed on the gorgeous building almost immediately. She stretched out her arm pointing toward the luxurious building.

"What do you say I give you a tour?" Lucy giggled with a smile. Even Erza had gasped at that idea. Wendy had jumped down from Luka's snout and was jumping up and down excitedly next to Lucy.

"Really, Lucy-san? You'll give us a tour of the palace?" she chirped eagerly. Her eyes sparkled with hope and amazement. Lucy grinned and patted Wendy's head.

"Of course!"

"But this place could be under surveillance," Gray pointed out. Lucy blinked at the shirtless man, Erza muttering a warning about his missing clothes in the background. Gray rushed away to find his missing articles of clothing.

"Natsu literally said the same thing," Lucy choked out in amazement. Natsu scoffed.

"I know! I'm disgusted by it!" Now Erza sent a glare in Natsu's direction. The fire mage quickly shrank back and changed his sentence to, "I mean I'm disgusted that Lucy is surprised by that me and Gray are such good friends!" Erza was silent and still for a moment, then she gave a curt nod, causing Natsu to exhale a big breath in relief.

Luka had gotten up from her comfortable spot on the ground and stretched out her limbs. She looked at Lucy curiously then looked toward the palace.

'_Lucy, are you sure you want to head there? You know something I don't know, don't you?'_

"_Luka, have you ever thought that maybe the palace was protected by a spell or something?"_

'_No, I suppose I haven't. You think it is?'_

Lucy looked over to the palace again. It was really a beautiful sight. She could see the beautiful green surrounding its foundation even from the distance she was at. It looked untouched, perfectly left alone. It gave off a feeling of safety when you looked at it. Lucy wasn't sure if she was right or not, but she would take her chances.

"_Yes," _Lucy responded. The dragon gave a nod and began to flap her wings and she hovered above the ground barely making a breeze. Luka was an Elemental dragon, she could be the wind if she wanted to, and she could be as soft a wind as she wanted to.

'_I'll scout ahead for a safe route. If you stay along the trees, you should be fine, but I'll check ahead anyways.' _

Lucy nodded at her dragon acknowledging her words.

"Guys, I know you may thing that the palace is the last place we should go, but I'm telling you this now: the Elder Dragons could've murdered my mother if they were that desperate for her to die, yet they didn't. And that was because she was safe inside the palace. Think about that before you reject the idea of going to the palace," Lucy said, using the reasoning she'd used herself to come up with the idea in the first place. Wendy was a bit too young to really acknowledge the words, and she couldn't say that she wasn't grateful for that. The looks on everyone else's faces seemed troubled. They were trying to decide something major.

"Lucy, I trust you," Erza finally said. Lucy smiled at the redhead. "I assume that you have a bigger reason for us going to the palace," she inquired. Lucy nodded again and the others leaned in, waiting for her to explain.

"That castle is the Grand Palace of Leafre, there has to be maps of the kingdom in there! Not only that, but castles have armories and big kitchens. There may be supplies in there that we can use. We can sleep in the rooms to get rest, which we're all going to need, and we'll be safe there. Even if we were to be watched, there isn't anything they could do to harm us."

"But what about planning? Won't they be able to hear everything?" Gajeel asked rather coldly. He hated the idea of some stuck up, ancient, old farts with scales watching their every movement inside that castle. Lucy grinned slyly.

"I think I may have a solution to that as well."

So it was settled, they were going to be heading to the palace, and Natsu had a scowl on his lips. Lucy giggled and stood on her tiptoes to gently kiss the smirk away.

"There is a child here!" Erza scolded. Lucy squeaked and in a flash was a good twenty feet from her pink-haired boyfriend. Gajeel was laughing, Wendy was giggling, and Erza was trying to keep a look of amusement from crawling onto her face. The day had been crazy, the sun was now maybe six hours away from setting, and they had at least an idea of a plan. Lucy felt pretty good about that.

"They've entered into Leafre," a large, dark purple dragon said in a deep, resounding voice. A low and menacing chuckle rang through the room.

"Good, good," the voice that accompanied the laughter spoke." A light began to shine in the center of the room, a view of the palace was lingering in the light that bounced off of dark, black and blue scales as the large dragon approached. "Soon, we will have Princess Natsuko in or claws."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that yet, sir," the dark purple dragon retorted uneasily. "The princess knows many secrets of the palace, she could very well outsmart us." The other dragon scoffed in disgust.

"That human is continuously becoming more and more troublesome. What news do we have of Acnologia?" the dragon with black and blue scales asked impatiently. His companion shifted uncomfortably. "Well?"

"He contacted Luka by using one of the princess' friends. It was a very cleverly thought out plan, sir. There was no way we could have known—" A loud furious roar interrupted the dragon's words.

"You should not have let him out of your sight!" the dragon that seemed to be in charge roared angrily. "You've no idea what he's capable of! I want him captured! And I want it done as soon as possible!" he demanded.

"Of course, sir," the other dragon replied monotonously.

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**END NOTE: So what did you think? The plot thickens EVEN MORE! Damn, how thick is the plot now? I can't keep track! Oh well. So I have an announcement about myself...**

**I made a facebook page for my pen name so you guys can follow me on FB. :) It's easier than making you guys guess when I'll be updating. I can give you guys notices on what's going on too, without having to post something annoying in the middle of a story. I know I have a VERY irregular updating schedule too. So like my page on facebook! you can also follow me on twitter, but I don't really care about that. **

**I'm hopefully going to get my first novel published... that is, if I win that writing contest. First I have to get my stuff typed up and sent in on time! Wish me luck!**

**I already mentioned my poll on the chapter before this, but I'll mention it again... I have a new poll on my profile... :) I tried to add humor to this chapter, if you didn't notice. Review and I'll try and update as soon as I can. I really did want to update a longer chapter, but I feel like I've had you guys waiting long enough. **

**~Alice-chan**

**P.S. I am SO grateful for all the support I have on this story and ALL of my stories. I love you guys so much for that. I don't know where I would be without my readers! I hope that if I ever become a professional writer, my fans are as awesome as you guys!**


	37. Chapter 37

**AN/: Hey everyone! Alice-chan here! I finally finished this chapter! YAY! I know you guys have been waiting for this. I made sure that it was a longer chapter too! I hope you guys love this chapter, because I'm worked hard on it all day. XD I'm so proud of this chapter, really I am. Some new character are introduced and some things are explained.**

**This chapter really goes into detail on something other that Lucy and the others. It's kind of like the other side of the story. Review to tell me what you thought of it when you're done reading. **

**I'm sorry I haven't been updating ANYTHING lately. I haven't had the time. I have so many unfinished stories that I almost want to shoot myself for being so inconsistent! Shame on me! Anyways, thanks to all of you who reviewed the last chapter. My poll is still in affect on my profile, so don't forget to vote. OH I don't know if I mentioned that I got my keys! I ordered a set of Lucy's Celestial Gate Keys. I got ALL OF THEM! All 12 golden keys and all of the silver keys EXCEPT of Pyxis, but that's because that one is newer. Anyways, enjoy this chapter! **

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The dragons had always been a very complicated race to understand. That is what made the Heartfilia family so special. They excelled in the ability to understand others and were among the few who could truly understand dragons. That was why the Heartfilia family had been chosen to rule alongside the dragons; they could all live peacefully together with understanding of both parties. Communication had always been key and that's why everything had worked so well. However, it's inevitable that the peace comes to an end at some point.

Things changed in time and they were things that neither side was quite prepared for. No one could've predicted what had happened, though it was a fault on their part not to expect something of the sort, for not every Heartfilia had such a pure heart.

* * *

The dragon with dark purple scales dragged himself down the large corridor. The large dragon that he'd angered, Bezaleel, was always one who got his way. He was a tyrant that would stoop to even the lowest of standards to get what he wanted. The purple-scaled Poison dragon often wondered what had happened to Bezaleel. Had something terrible happened to him to cause such darkness to grow in his heart, or had the Night Shadow dragon always been like that? The Poison dragon couldn't recall a time when Bezaleel _hadn't _been cold toward others, only a time when he used to be _less _cold.

The large building in which the Elder Dragons and their followers resided was a palace of sorts. Though it wasn't as extravagant as the Grand Palace of Leafre, it certainly was a fine structure. In many ways it was a palace built specifically for dragon use. The castle had been built with only a few rooms suitable for human usage, the other rooms were large and luxurious caverns. Each dragon had his or her own cavern to sleep in, they had their own room. The Poison dragon continued to drag himself toward his designated room.

"Atropine?" a soft voice called out to the Poison dragon. Atropine turned to face the owner of the voice. It had belonged to one of his childhood friends, a Silver dragon with glistening, silver scales. Her magic had everything to do with silver, she was a rare one and therefore essential to the Elder Dragons. For what reason, Atropine had no idea. But, he figured it wouldn't be good.

"I'm fine," the dark purple dragon immediately reassured his childhood friend. He knew she was worried, she always was. The Silver dragon gave him a doubtful and knowing look. Atropine sighed and gave into it. He couldn't keep things from her. "Bezaleel wants me to capture Acnologia," he said informatively. The Silver dragon's expression hardened and she drew in a sharp breath.

"He doesn't know what he's doing, I'm sure of that," the silver-scaled dragon said seriously. "Bezaleel had practically doomed us all in his mind. If he succeeds in whatever he's trying to do, it'll be the end of us all."

"I know that, but do you think he'll allow me to object to his orders? You know how rash he is," Atropine responded. "All we can do is hope that the girl has what it takes to end all this."

The Silver dragon approached him slowly and gave him a disappointed glare of sorts. She knew he meant well, but he was playing a dangerous game, a very dangerous game indeed.

"You're treading on a very thin border, Atropine," she warned. Clenching his jaw tightly, the Poison dragon lowered his head and tensed almost offensively. "You've betrayed her more than once. I know you mean well and you're very keen on saving your own neck at the same time, but you may slip up one of these times."

"I can look after myself," Atropine snapped. He huffed out an exasperated sigh and shook his head. "Trust me." His childhood friend kept her hard and piercing gaze on the Poison dragon. She raised her chin and looked down at the dark purple dragon angrily.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Atropine. I wouldn't want to be in your position right about now, so you better be right." With that Silver dragon spun around quickly and headed off in the other direction with a flash of silver. Atropine relaxed his tense body and released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Truth be told, he hoped he knew what he was doing, too. What could he say; a dragon's gotta do what a dragon's gotta do. In this case, it was to survive.

Atropine turned back around heading for his desired destination: his cavern. He needed a quick nap to clear his mind and figure things out. He dragged his heavy feet toward the large room that had been given to him. He could feel the effect of the stress weighing down on him.

Finally arriving at his room he stepped in and nudged an enormous and elaborately decorated, round stone in front of the entrance. The stones were in every cavern and they served as a door, something that Atropine was grateful for. Another thing was that they weren't very heavy stones, so it required very little strength and energy to move them into place. His light, lavender eyes scanned the large room that was the shape of a rounded square. Dragon Castle may not have been as extravagant as the Grand Palace of Leafre, but it certainly was bigger in terms of overall size. How else would it be able to accommodate such large creatures?

The walls of the cavernous room were decorated with beautiful designs and paintings. The floor was covered by a tough, yet soft and plush, red rug. In each of the rounded corners there was a gold pattern stitched into the red fabric. Off to the right of the room was a plush pile of blankets and pillows that served as a bed. Tiredly, he made his way over to the bed and dropped his exhausted body down onto the fabrics. He exhaled a large puff of air from his nose and closed his heavy eyelids, allowing himself to think.

What was he going to do about Acnologia? Long ago the Black Dragon had been a great and respected creature. He was admired and was a kind and peaceful dragon. He'd always put others before himself and thought of what was best for everyone as a whole rather than what would be best for the individual. He cared for the world collectively. Acnologia had even been chosen as the ruling figure of Leafre by the dragons of lower status and had a strong and established relationship with each and every human ruler of Leafre. Above all of the rulers, though, he'd been especially close to the late queen, Layla Heartfilia— May the wings of her noble spirit carry her to the land of Eternal Peace. Some had even said that he had fallen in love with a rebellious and spirited young Elemental dragon named Luka.

She had shared many of the same views as Acnologia, and although she was still very young, she had this extraordinary ability to carry a highly mature and sophisticated demeanor. The young Elemental dragon had also had a much respected reputation. She had been selected to fill the position of Queen Layla's Dragon Advisor by the queen personally. Perhaps that had been why Acnologia was so close to both the late queen and her advisor.

It was shortly before the birth of Princess Lucy Natsuko Heartfilia that things had started to fall apart. Atropine recalled the immense feeling of surprise and confusion oh, so vividly. No one had truly understood what was going on. Acnologia had always been considered the peacekeeper between the dragons and the humans. Over the years the Elder Dragons had changed to be somewhat senile creatures. Of course, they were all of a very old age and even dragons can't prevent the inevitability of time taking what it considers its own. The dragons had figured that maybe the Elder Dragons were simply losing their sanity little by little with age. Acnologia had always been patient and reasonable with them.

It all happened in such a short amount of time. One day, Acnologia had snapped at the Elder Dragons. He'd defied them and, suddenly, was very cold toward them. No one knew why exactly, but it was assumed that they had done something to trigger that final snap of his patience. Everyone knew of the feelings he had toward the Heartfilia family; he respected them greatly and cared for them as if they were his own family. Even Atropine knew that.

The Poison dragon shifted his position to a slightly more comfortable one and stretched his tense muscles. He couldn't sleep with all that thinking going on in his mind. But it was something that had to be done. He had to figure out what he was going to do and analyze the situation. Was Acnologia working on their side, or on the Princess's side? It was hard to tell because of the past that he'd been running through his head.

That day that the Black Dragon had defied the Elder Dragons, there had been a rumor that his actions arose from a threat toward the Heartfilia family by the Elder Dragons. It had been a rumor, though, and those were never credible sources. It may have been true— many thought it was including the Poison dragon himself— but, not a week or so later he'd done the same thing against the Royal Family. That was what had really stirred such dangerous confusion amongst the dragons. Some no longer knew which side to choose. There had been those that were always on Queen Layla's side. Others were always on the side of the Elder Dragons. But the dragons that had followed Acnologia's example specifically were the ones that had taken the most damage that day, for their mentor had turned on both parties.

Bezaleel was strongly convinced that Acnologia was an enemy of the Elder Dragons, and therefore an enemy of himself. Atropine, however, had a very different theory. He had never quite liked Bezaleel's way of thinking; it made him a dark, dangerous, and evil creature. As it was mentioned before, the Night Shadow dragon would stoop to even the lowest of standards to get what he wanted, even if that meant manipulation by means of magic. That was Atropine's theory, and he would never dare to speak that out loud within the walls of Dragon Castle.

Atropine let out a throaty sigh. What was he going to do? He hoped he wasn't going overboard with his decisions and actions. He was part of a small group of dragons within the residents of Dragon Castle that had an unspoken agreement to work as spies for the young Dragon Princess. They acted like double agents and did small things for the princess that would go unnoticed by Bezaleel and the Elder Dragons and possibly even the princess herself.

Growling slightly, Atropine mentally cursed himself. He'd told Bezaleel of the princess's knowledge of the Grand Palace's secrets. He'd disclosed too much information to the enemy and now he was regretting it. He prayed that his mistake wouldn't be fatal to both parties.

* * *

Acnologia paced back and forth in his dark cave in Earthland. Things were complicated. Oh, so very complicated. He hoped Luka wouldn't hate him for everything that had happened. All the aggression, anger, and the undeniable and treacherous confusion had torn a rift between the two races that were meant to live in harmony. The fact that magic was involved made everything worse. Nothing would be fair, yet again, life was never meant to be fair.

There was a darkness in Acnologia's heart that would never go away. Everyone had darkness in them that was there for an eternity. Yet, everyone had the ability to control that darkness within them. This was where Acnologia's problem came in. He'd always been able to control his darkness, but magic could be a terrible thing. The Black Dragon didn't remember much of that day, but he was sure that the Night Shadow dragon, Bezaleel, had something to do with it. He felt stupid that he didn't notice it right away, but that one day he fell victim to a manipulation spell of unbelievably immense proportions. Acnologia realized very quickly that the spell was never meant to control his body, but the darkness inside of him. The knowledge of how Bezaleel managed to get ahold of such evil and dangerous magic like that was beyond Acnologia.

He'd tried his hardest to get through to Luka, to beg her for help. He'd had a very bad way of doing so, but what else was he supposed to do when he was being so controlled? He was glad that Luka was so protective of her young master, though. It warmed his heart greatly to see that the ones he cared for so dearly were so loved by those around them. He was also very proud of the young princess. Her magic ability was nothing to joke about. Neither was her Protector's power. That Natsu Dragneel was such a capable young man. He would gladly see that the boy sat next to Lucy as the rulers of Leafre.

Though he was unsure if Luka would ever forgive him, he knew that she'd done what he wanted her to. She'd taken the princess and her friends to Leafre. That meant that she understood the impending danger. By using a simple manipulation spell on the youngest Strauss sibling he was able to alert them of the Elder Dragons' intentions. He was proud of that, but he felt bad for doing such a terrible thing to the poor girl.

Acnologia huffed and lay down on the cold, stone floor of the cave. There was a war coming and he wasn't sure if everyone was truly prepared for it. If only he could free himself of the manipulation spell! He would gladly aid his princess in the fight for the kingdom, yet he knew that he couldn't, not in the state he was in. Perhaps there were some other capable dragons that would aid her?

Surprise showed clearly on the dragon's features as an idea struck him. What of the dragons that were banished into their own realms of solitude? Princess Lucy had the Universal Gate Key, she could easily use her mother's tool to free them. Had the young Dragon Master not thought of that? Frustrated and worn out, Acnologia rested his head on his front legs. At this point he could only count on the princess's abilities and hope for the best, though he did have faith in her.

* * *

They'd been walking for a while and glares were thrown at anyone who dared to complain. They had to keep moving, no matter how "bloody and broken" their feet were.

"Lucy-san, can't we take just a small break?" Wendy asked shyly and innocently. And cue glare from Erza the Unforgiving. The poor Sky Dragon Slayer shivered in fear and quickened her pace just to emphasize how much she understood the scarlet-haired girl's unspoken orders.

"Lucy, I'm starving! Don't we have any food?" Natsu complained loudly. Cue glare from Lucy the Irritated-With-Her-Boyfriend. Quivering in fear slightly he said, "C'mon, Luce. We haven't eaten all day." When the glare from Lucy the Irritated-With-Her-Boyfriend wasn't enough, it was then necessary to add a glare from Erza the Now Unforgiving AND Irritated. Squeaking in fear for his life he shouted, "sorry," and slapped a hand over his mouth to prevent any more stupid from coming out.

"Keep it up and you're gonna get your ass kicked, Fire-Breath," Gray commented with amusement. Natsu glared at him with his "You-Wanna-Go-You-Prick?" look. This resulted in an undignified snort from Gray the Acting-Too-Casually-For-His-Own-Good. Natsu growled at him and Wendy gained the title: Wendy the Terrified-She's-Going-To-Get-Caught-In-The-Crossfire. Lucy and Erza immediately snapped their furious gazes toward the two behind them. The technique was effective in silencing the bickering and new titles were given out. The two women leading the group became: Lucy and Erza the Murderers of Idiots. The two previously bickering boys were dubbed: Natsu and Gray the Effectively Trained. The little Sky Dragon Slayer was given the title of: Wendy the Grateful-She's-Not-Gonna-Die.

The silence dragged on for about an hour longer until Lucy broke the silence.

"We should be there shortly, so just hang in there guys," she reassured. The group sighed in relief upon the news. Even Erza was a bit glad to hear that their suffering would soon be over. She hadn't thought that the palace would be _that _far away.

There was another 30 minutes of walking before they finally broke through the trees. In front of them was an immaculate sight. The Grand Palace of Leafre stood tall and proud before them. It was unlike anything they'd ever seen. Even Lucy was gawking at the beauty of such genius design. The palace was enormous and looked ten times bigger up close than it had when they'd first seen it. No wonder it had taken them so long to get there.

Mesmerized as she was, Lucy still managed an affectionate smile as she remembered the memories that the castle brought back to her.

"This is the Grand Palace of Leafre," Lucy said gesturing to the magnificent building. "This was my home," she added smiling widely. Feeling her teaching of being proper kicking back in she stepped forward from the group and turned to face them, offering them a polite and respectful bow. "Welcome to my Palace. This will serve as our fortress of safety until our business is concluded here, so please treat it kindly and respectfully." Lucy grinned like an idiot at the expressions on her friends' faces. She held a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"It is an honor to be allowed to stay in such a glorious refuge. We are most grateful," Erza spoke up bowing respectfully. Lucy's face burned red in embarrassment. She'd only been joking… kind of. She quickly dismissed it with a wave of her hand and a nervous laugh.

"I was joking, but, uh, no problem, Erza." Lucy took a deep breath and turned around to face to palace once more. "Once we step foot inside this castle there will be no going back," she explained seriously. Turning her head to glance back at her companions, she asked, "Are you guys ready?" They nodded affirmatively, an action in which Lucy mirrored. "Let's move!"

* * *

**END NOTE: There you have it! What did you think? I really liked the whole title thing I did at the end! XD Cracked me up while I was writing it! And I did NOT forget that Gajeel is there too. I just didn't say anything about him because he's, you know, keeping to himself. Like always LOL! I'm still very into Vocaloid, in case any of you were wondering... which I know you weren't XD I am also planning on going to Animarathon in march! It's gonna be so much fun! **

**Well, review and tell me what you thought. I feel like this one was a big chapter, so I'll be expecting lots of reviews. If I get tons of reviews I'll probably feel so giddy and excited that I'll work on another update like I'm on an entire bag of Pixie Stix! XD Which story I'll update I'm not sure, but I'll most likely update! XD Pie for now!**

**~Alice-chan**


	38. Chapter 38

**AN/: HEY! I know it's been forever since I've updated this story! So, here you go! I tried to make it pretty long. I tried to make it relatively long since I haven't updated in forever. I actually had the first part of this chapter typed up for a while. I started in in school on my google docs XD I just finished it today for you guys. I'm still working on my book, in case any of you were wondering. Do I get any support for that? LOL I'm going to an anime convention this coming weekend and I'm SOOOOO excited! I wanted to share that with you guys too. I really like this chapter because of the castle. I think the castle has got to be one of my favorite parts of this whole story. So if anyone wants me to go into further detail about anything about the castle just let me know. I won't keep you waiting any longer, but before I let you read I have to warn you that not much happens in this chapter. Next chapter I promise more will happen. ENJOY!**

* * *

Lucy led them into the palace, right through the large, front gate-like door, if you can believe that. They followed her silently with Natsu closest at her side. Before Lucy walked through the door to the palace foyer she glanced up. Luka flew past them and went beyond the wall and, most likely, into the courtyard. Lucy knew there was a courtyard. She could remember small, trivial things about the place she used to call home every now and then.

"You all have to be sure to stick together," Lucy told everyone as they entered the glorious building. "I may not stay with you guys the whole time, so be sure to stay together." The others were too preoccupied to fully register her words.

It was truly amazing. Even though it was supposedly abandoned for years the interior of the castle looked seemingly untouched by the effects of time. Everything was pristine; between the memory of the castle and the sight she was seeing now, Lucy couldn't see a difference between the two. Nothing had changed. The only thing that Lucy could see was different was the atmosphere. It no longer held the same golden glow that it once had, that she had seen in her memory. But, maybe that had something to do with the time of day. Lucy wasn't quite sure.

"This is amazing," Erza breathed out in amazement. The others were all agreeing silently. Natsu, however, had a different expression. To him it certainly was amazing, but he had an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. It wasn't bad, nor was it troublesome. It was just... there. It was the kind of nostalgia that made you think of younger days and simpler times. In a way it was almost like a small flash back in time, having the feeling that you're no longer in the present anymore.

"I have to head up to the top floor," Lucy said catching everyone's attention again. They all turned to face her, Erza cocking her head to the size.

"I thought you said to stick together," she pointed out. Lucy bobbed her head up and down in response. She was right. That was one of the first things she'd said when they entered the palace. But, she _did _have to make sure the others could find their way around with her leading them. They all needed to collect information and it wasn't nearly as effective to search in a large group as it was to split up and widen the search. Lucy would need to provide her friends with maps. She didn't know where to find the castle's actual supply of maps, but she knew for certain where she would at least find one.

"I have to go get some things from upstairs. It'll be quicker if I go alone; I don't want you guys getting lost," Lucy explained in further detail.

"Couldn't we just sniff each other out?" Gajeel asked trying to sound bored. No one could miss the hint of adoration in his voice though. He was obviously still enchanted by the beautiful interior of the palace. Wendy gave him a doubtful glance and shook her head slightly.

"Gajeel-san, we have to think of Gray-san and Erza-san as well," the petit Dragon Slayer said. "They don't have senses like ours." She had her hands clasped behind her back, her muscles tightened slightly as if she was afraid she was going to be reprimanded. Who could blame her, though? Gajeel was glaring down at her threateningly. She knew that Gajeel wouldn't do anything to actually hurt her, nor would any of her other friends, but that didn't mean that his glare didn't send a shiver running down her spine.

"Who cares?" Natsu piped in siding with Gajeel and causing the Iron Dragon Slayer's gaze to remove itself from poor Wendy. "Erza will be fine, and who cares about Ice Princess anyways?" he said motioning to Gray. Lucy gave him a good smack in the back of the head and glared at him. Erza nodded toward Lucy in approval of the action, Gray quietly snickered at the sight, Gajeel couldn't seem less interested, and Wendy... Well, she was just glad that Natsu had gotten her out of the hot seat.

"I'm going to get a map of the castle," Lucy finally said not wanting to waste any more time. "I know where one will be for sure and I want to get it before we do anything else."

"Then we'll come, too," Erza said, no, more like demanded. Lucy shook her head sternly.

"No," she answered firmly. The scarlet-haired mage was bewildered that the blonde had just bluntly opposed her. "It'll be quicker if I just go there myself," Lucy said her tone saying that this was the end of their discussion over the matter. She began to walk toward the stairs, stopping at the bottom just long enough to remind her comrades to stay put, and began to climb the large stairs.

The stairs led up to a platform that split off into two directions, left and right. The interior design for the foyer was unusual indeed. Even though the staircase was large and fairly long, they only seemed to lead up to the second floor or the castle. On each end of the platform was a short staircase that led to a hallway and there were more stairs at the end of the hallways that were hidden from sight.

Lucy reached the top of the main staircase and took no time to decide to go right. She quickly bounced up the short set of stairs and disappeared into the hallway that was well lit by lanterns on the walls. Doors lined the left side of the wall. Lucy assumed that those were guest rooms. There was no doubting that they were bedrooms, but she knew none of them were the one she was looking for. They had to be guest rooms or at least spare rooms. There was no way that the room of anyone important would be so close to the entrance of the palace. She had to get to the top floor; that's where all of the Royal Chambers would be.

The blonde reached for the knob of the last door in the long hallway. She flung it open quickly to reveal another set of stairs. It was a spiral staircase that had beautiful, stained-glass windows lining the right side of the curved wall. This was one of the secondary towers of the castle that had doors connected to the staircase every now and then indicating a new floor of the castle.

Lucy had passed about two doors while ascending the staircase so far. She paused when a third door came into sight. How many floors up did she have to go again? She thought hard for a moment about what she knew of the structure. If she was correct, that third door would lead to the fifth floor of the castle. Perfect.

The door led to another corridor that Lucy easily navigated. This floor seemed to make a square with its corridors. In each hallway doors lined the outer walls. This level of the palace was illuminated by windows that lined the inner walls of each hallway. The floor was covered with a lush, ruby-red carpet that had a purple and gold pattern running along its border.

Lucy didn't do straight, but turned to the right. She didn't really know how she knew where to go, she just _did. _Perhaps it was just the fact that she used to live there? Maybe the information was there only hidden in her subconscious. Either way, Lucy was glad that she did have at least a small idea of where she was going. And besides that, she always was pretty good at navigating in large places.

A little less than halfway down the hallway there was a single large door on the outer wall of the corridor. It was a bit more isolated from the other doors that were spaced out widely from either side. There was a window on either side of the door that let more light in. Lucy glanced out one of the windows. Looking toward the direction of the door she saw what looked to be the outside of a short hallway that led to one of the main towers of the castle. It, too, had two windows that allowed light in. She could see the large, round structure towering high into the sky. More beautiful windows ran along the curved wall that seemed to go on forever. Lucy couldn't even see the top of the tower from the window she looking out of.

Wasting no more time Lucy opened the large door and entered the small connecting hallway. The rich, red carpet continued into and up the large spiral staircase that wound up so high into the sky. The sun was setting and its beautiful glow had flooded into the staircase. Lucy slowed her pace as she climbed the stairs admiring the nostalgic feeling that rushed over her. She peered out the window closest to her and took in the view. It was a view of the ocean and it reached as far as the eye could see. In the back of her mind she registered the fact that she was so high that she couldn't even see the ground below from the window, but that was a minuscule detail compared to the view of the ocean. Its waters looked like shimmering, liquid-gold due to the sun's light.

Leaning against the windowsill the Dragon Master let out a thoughtful sigh. She wondered what Natsu was thinking right now. What did the foyer look like right now? Did it look as breathtaking as it did all those years ago? She wondered what the others were doing. It would get dark soon once the sun sank below the horizon.

That thought struck the blonde. One thing she didn't see on her way there was lanterns. There weren't any neither in the staircases nor in the fifth floor hallways. She needed to hurry if she wanted her way back to be visible. Sure she could use her fire magic, but she didn't want to risk burning down the place.

The climb continued. Lucy had to admit that it seemed almost endless. She was even starting to get dizzy. Sure the tower was tall, but the stairs weren't very steep, so the climb made you feel as if you'd be able to touch the moon by the time you left the tower. Finally, she saw a door on the wall. Quickly, she ran for it and threw it open. The sun was still setting, so thank goodness that she'd moved as fast as she did.

The door had led to a bridge-like structure that connected the main building to the tower. To her right there was another large tower. There were five main towers in the castle. All five were built near the rear of the castle and were connected to the main building by stone-like bridges such as the one Lucy stood on now. The one Lucy had climbed was the tower on the farthest left. The tower to her right was set away from the castle just a little further, the one after that was set back even further. That one was the main tower of the five; it was right in the middle. The two towers on the other side of the Main Tower, as it was called, followed the symmetrical pattern.

The connecting point on the main building was a large and wide platform that stretched from one side of the palace all the way to the other. On the far ends there were doors; a single door that led back into the palace. Smack dab in the middle was an extremely large door with beautiful and intricate designs on it. It was a set of double doors with no windows on them. They almost looked like a large gate. On either side there were flags hanging on the wall. They were red, blue, and gold and a picture of a golden dragon surrounded by wisps of silver leaves was on both of them. Lucy knew without a single doubt in her mind that that door led to something important. It seemed most likely that it would lead to the throne room, but Lucy had a feeling that it was more than just the throne room.

Down below was the courtyard. It was unbelievably large and extravagant, gardens of luscious green, pink, red, purple, blue, and every other color you could think of dotted the large space below. It was so large, in fact, that it could easily fit about three of their guild in its space and still have space left over. In one corner of the courtyard Lucy even saw a waterfall. Not far from that she saw her dragon peacefully lying in some grass. She looked to be sleeping, so Lucy decided it was best not to bug her.

Rushing to the large doors on the platform was the next thing Lucy did. She placed her hand on the gold handle on left door and pulled hard. It was rather heavy, but thanks to her training with both Luka and her guild mates it wasn't nearly as difficult to move as it would've been. She finally got the door open and was hit by a gust of cold air. Behind the set of doors was another staircase that had three different pauses along the way. The end of the staircase was an open doorway without a door. The blonde jogged up the stairs and tossed glances to the sides at each pause. They were platforms that led to hallways. There was a door at the end of each hallway. It was like that for all three pauses in the stairs.

Lucy decided to try the last hallway, well, set of hallways. She chose the one on the left and stopped at the door that was to her left. She took a deep breath before she ever so slowly pushed open the door. She was glad she had taken that breath, because the first thing she noticed in the large room was a portrait over the fireplace on the far end of the room. She took slow steps to approach it and she reached out her hand to delicately graze her fingers over it. It was her and her mother. Queen Layla sat on her throne with her precious daughter sitting on her lap. The blonde threw a glance upward at the ceiling. The throne room was right above her; that portrait had been painted right above her.

She was in her mother's room. The sheer size of the room gave that away easily. But, it wasn't just that. Perhaps it was the fact that the mantle had gold actually imbedded in it. Lucy rushed over to the enormous bed at the other end of the room. The first thing she headed for was the nightstand beside the piece of furniture. She briefly took notice that to her left there was another door. So, the six hallways only led to three rooms? In the back of her mind Lucy supposed that she should've expected that.

The young Dragon Master yanked open the drawers of the nightstand and rummaged through them. She'd been right to check there. She smiled widely as she lifted the castle maps from the drawers. Somehow she felt as if her mother had done that on purpose. She silently thanked her for that as she rushed from the room and down the hallway. She stopped when she stepped back onto the staircase. She looked back toward the top of the stairs. She wanted so badly to just peek outside that boundary, to just get a glimpse of what the throne room actually looked like. She couldn't, though. Not now at least. The sky was getting darker and Lucy had to move now if she didn't want to get caught in the dark somewhere in a quiet and empty corridor of the castle. She had the maps and now she needed to get back to her friends. She wondered how long she'd been gone and what her friends, and her boyfriend, had been doing.

* * *

Natsu, Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Gajeel all let out a sigh… in unison. Their blonde friend had left a while ago and now the sun was close to setting. It was unusually quiet and everyone was unbelievably bored. Erza leaned against the railing of the staircase, Wendy was lying along the bottom step with her arm draped over the edge onto the floor, Gray was leaning against one of the walls, Gajeel was smart enough to notice a bench right next to the main gate, and Natsu was rolling around on the floor trying to amuse himself.

They all wanted to explore the palace. It was so extravagant that it practically blew their minds to bits. Curiosity was causing them to squirm and itch all over. Natsu had suggested following her by simply following her scent, but Erza had strongly advised against that. She respected her friend's wishes, especially when it was her own castle that was being talked about. Even though it almost physically hurt Erza to refuse the idea, she did so.

Time continued to drag on and on and soon the sun had begun to set. Natsu shot up into sitting position and gazed up at the skylights. A sense of peace fell over the room and everyone in it as a quiet breeze blew through the windows causing the purple curtains to sway elegantly. It was like magic as the golden light began to spill into the room through the windows and cover everything in a fine layer of gold. Natsu took a calm breath and smiled tenderly. He remembered this. It was his favorite memory of the palace. Everything seemed to be exactly the same as before, except Lucy wasn't there.

"Wow," Wendy breathed out in amazement as she sat up and watched the dust particles float through the air and shimmer like fine, gold powder.

"This is…" Gray had begun. He couldn't finish, though. He had no words to describe how he felt.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Natsu asked quietly. Everyone looked at the pink-haired fire mage with wide eyes. "It's just like I remember it," he said with affection. He laid back down on his back and reached his hand up as if her were to catch the dust particles floating in the air.

"It's like magic," Erza whispered afraid to break the silence too much, as if it would shatter the beautiful atmosphere.

"The first time I saw this I was with Lucy. I hadn't believed her when she said that this sight would be… magical. She said it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen." Unknown to him the others were gazing at him with affection and tenderness. He seemed so open as he laid on the floor recalling a beautiful memory he shared with the most precious person in his life.

"I told her she was wrong," Natsu added after a long pause.

"What?" Erza shouted. "How could you not see that this is easily the most beautiful thing once could ever see?" she bellowed furiously. How dare he disgrace such a magical scene?

"She still is wrong," Natsu continued as if Erza had never said a word. "I'll always say the same thing I said that day. No matter what, Lucy is the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on… and she always will be," he finished with longing and affection. His voice had come out almost breathily and if faded into silence after his last word.

The group was baffled. Since when could Natsu say stuff like that and be so serious about it. The boy looked completely love-struck. When did he grow up? Since when was he so mature? How long had he been able to say such sweet and romantic things? How had they never noticed? They briefly wondered if perhaps Lucy had seen all that in him when she had met him in Hargeon, or if she remembered that stuff about him subconsciously from their younger years.

Suddenly, their desire to explore the castle dwindled down to something unimportant. Seeing Natsu like that was like seeing someone come back from the dead right in front of your eyes. Not only that, but who would want to leave such a calming and surreal sight such as the sunset in the foyer behind for anything in the world? Then again, couldn't they see that every night now? Who knew how long they'd be staying there?

* * *

**END NOTE: What did you think? How was the castle? I really, really, really, REALLY, like the castle. Like I said, if you want more detail on anything of the castle just let me know. I feel like I have so much to tell you guys, but I want to get this chapter posted ASAP! If you guys wanna hear anything else from me you can review and ask me questions or PM me. :) Until next time...**

**~Alice-chan**

**P.S. Thanks to all the previous reviewers. I can't tell you how much your feedback means to me! Really, you guys have a MAJOR influence on my self-concept and my self-esteem. I actually brag about you guys to my friends. Keep up the reviews and support and I'll make sure I keep the chapters and stories coming, even if they do come a little later than I would like them to. You guys are wonderful. I love you all! Thanks again!**


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